My time abroad in Ireland was one of the best times in my life. I was able to meet so many people and experience so many different things that were completely new to me. Of course, I was nervous about being overseas by myself for such a long time, but with some help, I was able to overcome that fear and fully enjoy my time abroad. That is one reason why I liked the USAC program so much. Even though I wanted to meet people from different countries while I was abroad, it helped to have a group of people from the United States who were going through the same transition that I was. I made some great friends in my USAC cohort, and I really enjoyed the trips that were included in my study abroad experience with USAC. It was also really nice to have my local USAC contact, Patrick. Patrick was extremely helpful, and he was able to give a lot of great insider information about things to do and see in Cork. I would definitely recommend the USAC program to any future students going abroad.
Another thing that helped me acclimate to Ireland was UCC’s abundant selection of clubs and societies. By getting involved in clubs and societies, I was able to accomplish my goal of meeting students from all over the world. I ended up signing up for the squash club, the table tennis club, and two different book clubs. Each of them was a lot of fun and through the weekly meetings, I met students from the Netherlands, Korea, Germany, and of course some local Irish students. Everybody was extremely nice and welcoming, and it really made my time at the university a lot more enjoyable. It might be a bit obvious, but it is extremely important to put yourself out there and get plugged into different activities outside of class. I wouldn’t have met all the amazing people that I did, and my time abroad wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if I had only gone to my classes and nothing else.
The one thing about Ireland that I would complain about is the rain. Living in Tennessee, I’m used to a decent amount of rain, but I was not prepared for the sheer volume of rain that I experienced in Ireland. On average, I believe that it rained four to five days a week for almost the entire semester. I really started to miss the sun after so much rain, but I couldn’t let it stop me. They had a saying in Ireland: “There is no poor weather, only poor preparation.” It just means that you better have a rain jacket or an umbrella at all times! There were many times I would come back from a hike or a trip into town completely soaked, even with waterproof clothing. It was just an unavoidable part of my time in Ireland, and it was something that I had to adapt to. The weather is definitely something to consider for students interested in studying abroad in the British Isles.
While all of my travel across Ireland and Europe was incredible, one thing that really surprised me was how much I enjoyed my classes. Part of the reason I picked UCC was because of how internationally active it is, and it lived up to that expectation. Of my four classes, the professors that I had were from Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Ireland. The students in class with me were from even more different countries. It was absolutely amazing getting to learn in an environment with such a diverse group of people each with different perspectives on the subjects I was learning. Some of my classes only had ten to fifteen students, so I was able to really talk to and learn from both my classmates and professors. It was a very different environment than what I was used to at UTC, but I really enjoyed it. I think it is beneficial for anyone to surround themselves with people that are vastly different from them. It helps broaden your understanding of others and can make you more empathetic to toward their experiences. Overall, I think this line of communication may have been one of the aspects of my time abroad that helped me grow as a person the most.
Samuel Robinson (BS Chemistry) spent the Spring 2024 semester studying abroad in Cork, Ireland through USAC. Samuel had the following to say about studying abroad, “My semester abroad in Ireland was incredible. I was able to see and experience so many new things on a new continent. As a STEM major, I was worried about studying abroad, but I am so glad I was able to work it out where I could take some classes abroad. Regardless of major, I would encourage anyone to study abroad if they have the chance. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you will never forget.”
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