I will say this time and time again, studying abroad is hard, so it is important to know this going into it, so you're not blindsided. When thinking about what advice I would give other students studying abroad in the UK, my mind fills with things I would have wanted my past self to know. For starters, plan ahead of time. You're on a small island, there's a lot to see within the country, let alone the rest of Europe. If travel is important to you, have it set and planned before you leave the US. I say this because travel is very important to me, and I did not plan most of my adventures before leaving the US, and when I got here I was so caught up in the fact that I was here that I forgot to prioritize my travels. If you have it all planned ahead of time, it will be less overwhelming. Also, take advantage of railcards, especially in the UK, buy one as soon as you know you're going to the UK because they save you so much money. I think I paid off the amount I saved by using my railcard in about three trips. As of writing this, I have traveled by train over ten times in my three months here, and I honestly could have doubled that if I planned better. Just know, there is a lot you can do in a day, so if money is a huge problem, plan day trips, London is not as far as you think, especially for an American.
My second piece of advice is to not study abroad alone unless you're 100% certain you'll be okay. I was fully devoted to my study abroad, and I wanted it to all work out more than anything, yet when I got here, I was still anxious and I still struggled for a bit. If I did not have Sam, my best friend in the same city as me, I would have crumbled. Having a support system physically with you while you take the new country you're in is so important. If you do not have a best friend who can study abroad with you, see if your advisor has any students studying abroad at the same university as you and see if you can get in contact with them before going. Having someone from back home with you makes everything so much easier, as you have someone who knows exactly what you are going through.
If you can prevent it, do not study abroad in your senior year. If I could go back in time and rewrite my college experience, I would without a doubt study abroad junior year, maybe for a full year. Leaving NAU and all of my friends for a semester was hard to do, but leaving them while missing out on all of my “lasts” as a college student like attending all of my last football games, having my last first snow of the season, and having my last first day at NAU made it so much harder. I did not realize in the fall semester of my junior year that I would experience my “lasts” at that point because I did not know I would be abroad the following fall. I can undoubtedly say this experience would have been easier if I had done it during my junior year, but I cannot go back and rewrite the past, so here I am. If the only option is to go your senior year, then I would still do it, but it is important to realize and confront what you will miss out on during your senior year. It is bittersweet, to say the least.
If possible, while abroad do courses that pertain to your major. It motivates you to actually attend class because the coursework is interesting, and it is incredibly fascinating to see your course taught in a different country. I know many advisors push for students to complete liberal studies requirements when here because it is easier and it opens up where you can go, but I would hands down not have had as good of an experience as I did if I had not a photography major here. Sam is currently studying English in the UK, whereas her major in the US is biomedical science. She was unable to study biology at Nottingham Trent, but she wanted to stay at the same university as me, so she compromised with English since she loves to read. I do not think I have ever seen a person despise their courses as much as she despises hers. She could be out in the UK exploring and traveling, but instead, she stuck dissecting books that she could not care less about. Needless to say, it's like dangling a donut in front of someone on the keto diet. Just study your major, if it means compromising where you study, I would still say to go where you can learn about the field you actually want to have a career in. I could have studied in Glasgow or Wales, but instead, I ended up in Nottingham which is without a doubt a much lamer city, but I do not regret it due to the courses I have gotten to take.
Overall, I would recommend studying abroad to most people, it's definitely not for everyone, but if your heart is set on doing it, then I would. The UK was lovely, and as long as you follow this advice, you should be okay while abroad. Just prepare, and stay positive.
