Sydney Wuu

When I found out I had the opportunity to spend my junior fall studying abroad in the heart of England’s capital, I was absolutely ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in an unparalleled place to live and learn by stepping out of my comfort zone to experience day-to-day life in a bustling European urban center whose history, culture, and traditions I had always been fascinated with.

Three weeks before I was planning to arrive in London, I injured my leg. At the time, I didn’t know if I would be able to start my study abroad experience in a cast or have to cancel my trip. However, the Economics department and Student Support and Welfare team at UCL immediately collaborated to accommodate my special case so that I could begin my term on Zoom before a dorm room with accessible features opened up in October. Karina from the Economics team helped me coordinate with my professors to notify them of my remote start and ensure the material was available on Moodle for me to review from back home in Los Angeles. The flexibility to start my classes remotely and the support I received from faculty on the other side of the world were unparalleled—two factors that made my UCL study abroad experience possible despite my unforeseen circumstances.

 Although my exchange experience at UCL was far from typical, it was incredibly rewarding. Upon arriving in London, I was blown away by how different the urban university environment was from my small, rural liberal arts college in the Northeast United States. Attending in-person Economics classes in the topics—many of which were not offered at my college back in the U.S.—of Economic History, An Introduction to Applied Economic Analysis, and Economics of the Public Sector were so much fun. In addition to my three amazing Economics courses, I especially enjoyed the flexibility to enroll in Urban Political Ecology (UPE) in the Geography department, where I wrote blog posts about Manila, Philippines in relation to UPE literature. Everyone was so kind and supportive. From the student residence advisers to the professors and local students, those around me made me feel welcomed to the UCL community.

 While my home college focuses heavily on in-class participation, I found UCL to emphasize demonstrating our knowledge through final written papers and coursework. However, this isn’t to say that we didn’t interact with our peers. The weekly tutorial sessions provided me a space where I could get to know my classmates more closely and ask questions about the material with a TA or professor.

 The UCL student body was extremely diverse and international, many of whom were affiliate students like myself. I will never forget this term and the memories I made: watching the World Cup with friends, studying in the UCL Main Library, enjoying British afternoon tea, touring the iconic London landmarks, seeing Life of Pi live at Wyndham’s Theatre, doing a couple weekend trips to Paris and Dublin, and witnessing the festive lights switch-on at the Quad.

 I only wish that my term abroad could have been longer!

Fall 2022