From elementary to high school, I was a diligent student who put grades and homework above all else. In high school, the main goal was schoolwork and participation in multiple extracurriculars so that I could appear as a well-rounded student. Hanging out with friends outside of school felt like a luxury, and it was difficult for me to socialize without feeling preoccupied with schoolwork. Instead, I focused on the future; the goal was to achieve as much as possible in high school to get into a decent college. I graduated in the top 5 of my class and was excited to move on to college.
Then a new problem arose; it finally occurred to me that college would be even more difficult than high school. I wanted college to feel like a reward after years of work and didn’t consider that there would be even less time for fun.
Instead of feeling proud of the work that got me to college, I was sad that as time was racing by, I had spent most of my teen years worrying about schoolwork. While it is important to focus on school, in my experience, there have been countless times when this focus made it difficult to relax and enjoy life.
One motivator in high school and college was a potential semester abroad, and part of the reason I chose UB was for its vast array of education abroad programs. The United Kingdom is famous for its iconic locations and popular culture, and living there seemed like the best way to feel immersed in all things Britain. So, completing an education abroad application became yet another task on the road to fun. On top of working a part-time job on campus and taking five courses, I spent months applying and planning for an exchange semester at Cardiff University in the capital of Wales.
This time, the payoff was well worth the labor.
Living in the UK, I was exposed to the distinctly different European mentality of balancing work and life. A full-time workload at a UK university is considered three classes instead of four, as is the requirement at UB. While it seemed like the courses would be far more demanding to justify taking only three, I found that the preparation for classes was less than what was expected at UB. There were required readings assigned once a week, occasional short writing work, and at the end of the semester, a longer essay that would constitute most of my grade.
Because most of my days and nights were no longer spent reading, analyzing, writing, and obsessing over deadlines, there was far more time to maintain an enjoyable life. While there were as many chores to be done as before, like laundry and grocery shopping, there was plenty of time to finish all these tasks. Afterward, there was time to explore the medium-sized city of Cardiff, which was about a 20-minute walk away from the university house I was assigned. Even when there were deadlines, it was easier to let go of this stress when I could look forward to cooking and conversation with my fellow exchange friends.
Public transportation is not readily available in Buffalo, and because I don’t have a car, it has been very difficult for me to explore Buffalo. While it's a truth universally acknowledged by UB students, that Amherst, NY is not a walkable area, European cities like Cardiff are smaller, and it’s easy to get around on foot. This was a life-changing difference, and combined with my new free time, it was now possible to shop, try new food places, take walks in the park, converse with locals, and explore local nightlife.
The student life in Wales felt like a new world. Because of the lower drinking age, I finally felt like I was living in a country where I was viewed as an adult, rather than a teen with adult responsibilities. I could go to any concert without fear of being barred for being under 21, attend themed events at the university’s club, and sit in charming, atmospheric British pubs with my university cohort. While these laws might seem dangerous to an American reader, the freedom to make adult decisions with other university peers was crucial to the invaluable maturity I developed overseas.
Affordability and student life were also better in Cardiff. Student discounts were readily available, and travel was much cheaper. I was able to travel to many of the cities and countries that I never thought I’d have the time or money to see. There were two breaks during the spring semester, one of which was multiple weeks long. During these breaks, I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland with my family who visited and was also able to travel to iconic European cities with my like-minded friends.
Travel is one of the best ways to learn about the world, and this was made possible through a semester abroad. The conversations I had with locals and my diverse group of housemates, combined with travel, gave me a well-rounded education about Europe.
While college is usually prioritized as a period to work towards a career, it’s also an important time to develop as a young adult. By focusing most of my energy on studies in America, I couldn’t spend these few years of college on equally important matters, like spending time with friends, designating time to relax, and pursuing pastimes like travel.
It has been difficult to no longer have a relaxing life back at UB, as the workload has become hefty again, and it’s not as easy to get away from campus and spend time in Buffalo. But I make sure to schedule social time, now that I understand the importance of balance. While it’s easy to mourn my life overseas, I can’t help but feel grateful for the experiences gained while studying abroad.
In Wales, I was expected to keep up with schoolwork but was also treated like an adult, which was an incredibly freeing feeling. While I may not be traveling and socializing as often, for those looking for a more well-rounded, enjoyable college experience, I can’t recommend an education abroad experience enough.
The opinion desk can be reached at opinion@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
