USA
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My ultimate guide to Rutgers dining halls, swipe-friendly cafés, and the downtown New Brunswick food scene…
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers New Brunswick, USA Dining Halls: All-You-Can-Eat Livingston Dining Commons (Livi) – My Home Base 10/10Livi was my second home and easily the best dining hall on campus. I would sometimes swipe in once and stay the entire day, setting up my laptop in a booth with friends and turning it into our private study lounge. Unlimited coffee refills and decent Wi-Fi made it a surprisingly productive spot. The food kept us going too. The salad bar was my favourite on campus, with endless fresh toppings, grains, and seafood (sometimes even mussels and prawns) so you could build something different every time. The Asian section served stir-fries,…
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Rutgers: The Birthplace of College Football
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers University, USA Before I came to Rutgers, I thought American football was just… a worse rugby with more padding and commercials. But little did I know, game days here are a full cultural event—like a mix of a music festival, street fair, and sports match all rolled into one. Whether you’re into sports or just here for the vibes (#guilty), trust me when I say: you don’t want to miss this part of the Rutgers experience. So, here’s everything I wish I’d known before my first game day… The Basics: So, What Even Is American Football? And if you’re ever totally lost, just ask someone nearby.…
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The Ultimate Guide to the Rutgers Bus System, Campus Life, and Getting Around NJ
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers University, United States of America So you’ve landed in New Brunswick, bags unpacked, Target haul complete, and the emotional goodbyes are slowly fading into your mental rearview mirror. But now comes the real challenge: figuring out how to get around this sprawling maze of a campus (hello, five campuses?!) Fear not, future Scarlet Knight, buckle up for the lowdown on everything from the infamous Rutgers bus system to NJ Transit tips. RUTGERS BUS SYSTEM: CHAOS? YES. USEFUL? ALSO YES. Let’s start with the Rutgers bus system—both a miracle and a mild source of trauma. This free, student-only shuttle system connects all five New Brunswick campuses: College…
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Accommodation at Stony Brook University
By Rosie Atkinson, Stony Brook University, USA Accommodation whilst on a semester or year abroad is important as it serves as your temporary ‘home’ for several months. Before I arrived at Stony Brook, I didn’t know what to expect in terms of my accommodation, so hopefully this blog post can help other students going to Stony Brook University in the future. Costs The rent for my room was $6,831.00 for one semester. This was for a single room in West Apartments with 2 bathrooms shared between 6 people (including me). Food was not included in the price, but what was included in the cost of the accommodation was a cleaner…
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Differences between UOM and UNC
By Louis Cotterell, UNC Chapel Hill, USA The University of Manchester is an urban university, surrounded by a population that has little to do with the university itself. You could live in Manchester for years and never set foot on campus. In contrast, Chapel Hill is a true campus town. The university is the town. The community, the economy, and even the vibe of Chapel Hill revolve almost entirely around UNC. In fact, UNC is the largest employer in the area—about 40% of jobs in Chapel Hill are tied to the university. That creates a unique, school-central atmosphere. Most students live on or near campus, and you’ll bump into classmates,…
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Wrapping up the Year
By Louis Cotterell, UNC Chapel Hill, USA After the relief of exams concluding, the reality that the year was ending started to set in. This feeling was widespread, as my international friends all started preparing to depart home, and my American senior friends were graduating. Attending the graduation commencement ceremony was impressive. Thousands piled into the football stadium, dressed in Carolina-blue robes, to listen to the speeches. One was delivered by Mia Hamm, an ex-UNC women’s soccer player, widely regarded as one of the best female athletes of all time. It then resolved with a huge firework show, followed by a night out on Franklin Street. As I said goodbye…
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First vs. Second Semester
By Louis Cotterell, UNC Chapel Hill, USA In the final weeks preceding the Christmas break, there was a strange feeling of uncertainty. Most of the European and Australian internationals who’d become our friends (and football teammates) were not returning, leaving only the Brits left of our studying-abroad friend group. It was going to be interesting to see how the second semester would differ from the first, and was in store. Among those who would not be back was my roommate, Martin, from Madrid. This was sad, as we had become close while grinding internship applications during hiring season. His absence was ameliorated by the new residence of my friend Mark,…
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What a Year Abroad at NC State Taught Me.
By Saskia Perez-Cooke, North Carolina State University, United States I spent my year abroad at NC State University, and it was an unforgettable experience. As with any experience there are highs and lows, but here are a few reflections and bits of advice to anyone considering or preparing for a year abroad in the states (or anywhere really!) Roommates One of my biggest concerns when I was preparing to come to NC State was the sharing a room situation. But if there is one thing I can say about this is that your roommate doesn’t define your study abroad experience! If you don’t click with your roommate immediately I wouldn’t…
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University Traditions: Roth Regatta
By Rosie Atkinson, Stony Brook University, USA The Roth Regatta is an annual tradition at Stony Brook University held in either late April or early May in the Roth Pond on campus. It involves the production of either a Speedster boat or a Yacht boat made entirely out of cardboard, tape and paint. Teams of current students and alumni gather to make and decorate a boat to either compete with 4 rowers (yacht) or 2 rowers (speedster). Every year has a theme and this year for the 36th annual Roth Regatta the theme was Greek mythology. This year the international exchange students came together to make a boat. We nominated…
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Joining a band at UNC
By Louis Cotterell, UNC Chapel Hill, USA Jeremy Stickler has been going for a few months now, and we have our biggest show yet lined up for this weekend. All the stars seemed to have aligned. The story begins on a random Thursday of last semester. I was walking through the arboretum (a park-type area next to my residence hall) where there was a man (Mason) strumming a guitar and singing. I went over to say hi, and informed him that I lived very close and could come join with my guitar. He, as a music lover, eagerly accepted. We jammed for forty minutes or so before he had to…
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The 2024 U.S. Election
By Frances Connoly, University of Maryland, United States One of the first things that I did once the term had started was join the UMD College Democrats. I knew that this election was incredibly important, and that I was in the unique position of being in the states to witness it, so I wanted to get as involved as much as possible. Joining the dems was such a good decision. I’ve experienced so many new things and met lots of passionate people who have given me hope for America’s future!
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Adjusting to Life Back in Manchester
By Ava Griffiths, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA Returning to life back in Manchester has been a bit strange.
