By Emily (North Carolina, USA)
Whilst it has probably been covered before, one of the biggest differences you might face in the US is the academic differences. It will definitely take a while to get used to, however having said that it is by no means a bad thing.
At Chapel Hill, classes run either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or on Tuesday and Thursday. So if you have class at 9am on Monday, you will also have that class on Wednesday and Friday. The consistency is good, and it means you don’t forget about that topic as you will have covered it multiple times.
Unlike in England, for me our time is not split between lectures and seminars. Instead, we have one type of class, that in fact feels like halfway between a lecture and a seminar. The professor will discuss the reading given briefly and then will ask questions to the class. The biggest change for me actually comes from the students. Everyone happily participates with no awkward silences, and there have been occasions where the more than seven hands will go up at once to offer a perspective. This naturally comes from a system where participation matters.
(An irrelevant yet beautiful picture, on the left is the UL library, on the right is the dining Hall- Lenoir)
