University of Westminster, London
Spring 2025
When receiving acceptances from colleges during the spring of my senior year of high school, I got presented with an acceptance that got me into a study abroad program for the fall semester of my first year without applying for it. I knew from that moment that it was a sign of having that opportunity, but I felt that it was too soon to enjoy it and gain a whole set of goals as a freshman in college. Studying abroad was about the experience, but so was your first year as a freshman at your college, and I did not want to give that up. I chose Marywood University for my institution, which was not the school that initially offered me the opportunity. However, I knew they had a fantastic program for students to study abroad. I decided to apply for the program in the fall of my sophomore year to get me into the spring 2025 semester at the University of Westminster in London. I got into the program and got a scholarship through my AIFS program. Deciding to go to this point in my college years felt the best for me as I got to experience my first year learning and adjusting to being on my own and gaining new knowledge.
Being a sophomore studying abroad is one of the best choices I could have made. Everyday, I am learning new stuff about myself and new skills that I can apply throughout the following years in college and after graduation in 2027. Forcing myself to branch out to new faces, new possibilities, travel, and my successes and losses. Studying abroad is putting me up to success to overcome and learn from all these new ideas presented daily in the timeframe I am here. Experiencing this has been an out-of-body moment, and I will appreciate it and take it for granted every moment.