April 17, 2025

Make the Most of Your Study Abroad

Alternative Academics, featured, Majors & Courses, Study Abroad

By Rachel Holmes
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Build Your Perfect Study Abroad

Even before I knew I was going to UC Berkeley, I knew I wanted to do a year abroad. Now, writing this from London as my year abroad comes to a close, I can honestly say it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in media studies with a minor in theatre and performance studies, and I’m doing a year abroad through the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) at Queen Mary University of London. While abroad I have traveled to several different countries and other parts of the United Kingdom (UK). I’ve joined clubs, taken unique classes, and made lasting friendships. No one can say I haven’t lived my life abroad to the absolute fullest, so here are some things I did to make the most of my experience.

Choose a Program That Matches Your Interests & Goals

Choosing a host country/university can be overwhelming, but UCEAP has plenty of programs to choose from and can help you find one that’s perfect for you. It’s important to consider what country and weather type you would be happy in, and what program length and university will work best with your degree.

I often get asked why I chose a year abroad. For me it made sense because it would allow me plenty of time to adjust to life abroad, opportunities to get involved on campus, and time to travel. I would be able to make more friends who were locals and see my host country through all seasons. However, a year is a really long time to be away from home and I found myself struggling with homesickness quite often. I also had to go through the process of getting a student visa, which is not necessary for semester students. I was lucky enough that media studies is a major that makes studying abroad very easy, as they encourage it and allow plenty of options for courses taken abroad to count towards the major requirements, but this may not be the case for other majors.

From left to right: Rachel & her friend Leah in front of Tower Bridge, London; Rachel at Queen Mary University of London.

I considered six different countries before eventually landing on the UK. I chose England because having an English-speaking school gave me more options for classes that would satisfy my degree, London was somewhere I had always wanted to visit, and it was close enough to Europe that I could easily travel there as well. Queen Mary University of London had a wide variety of theatre, arts, and humanities courses as well as clubs I was interested in.

You should also consider which option works best for you financially. There are plenty of scholarships and financial aid for study abroad to make this part easier.

Travel Efficiently

From left to right: Rachel & her sister in Barcelona; views of Prague; and Rachel in Lisbon, Portugal.

One of the best things about studying abroad is the opportunity to travel and explore new places. But it can start to add up financially, and your calendar will fill up quicker than you think. Here are some tips for traveling efficiently and cost-effectively:

From left to right: The Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England; Christmas market in Vienna, Austria.

  • Plan Ahead: Before you go abroad, make a list of the places you want to visit most and when the best times are to visit them. Get as many dates on the calendar as you can, even if they’re just tentative, to make sure you don’t run out of time to go. For example, I went to Vienna, Prague, and Berlin during winter time specifically to see the Christmas markets, and I went to Bath in September to catch the end of the Jane Austen Festival. Planning ahead will also reduce the prices of airplane tickets, as they can get pricey if you’re purchasing at the last minute.
  • Limit Return Tickets: Oftentimes, grouping your destinations together into one trip will be cheaper than flying back and forth to each new destination. When I travel, I usually go to two or three cities or a couple countries that are near each other on each trip. That way, we limit the amount of return tickets and free up more time to explore other things. Taking the train between places is super easy, scenic, and usually affordable.

Boarding an EasyJet flight.

  • Pack Light: Flights may be cheap with airlines like EasyJet and RyanAir, but prices will go up fast when you start adding bags. To save money, especially in the winter when traveling with coats, limit the amount of luggage you bring by splitting a suitcase with your friends and using vacuum seal bags to save space.
  • Make it More Budget-Friendly: If you really want to travel on a budget, getting early-morning flights there and late-night flights back can allow you to maximize your days and are usually much cheaper. This will also allow you to do all the sightseeing you want in less time, reducing the amount of money you spend on lodging. Just be prepared to be exhausted and make sure you keep in mind luggage storage with hotel check-in and check-out times. There are plenty of ways you can enjoy your time abroad while working with a budget.

Explore Your Host Country

From left to right: The National Gallery in London; The Mousetrap play on the West End, London.

Don’t forget to explore your host country as well! There are tons of free museums, gardens, viewpoints, and markets that you can explore. I have really enjoyed visiting art museums and theatres in London. Sometimes, you may have to force yourself out of your flat to explore your city, but trust me you won’t regret it! I have Mondays and Wednesdays off, so I try to check something off of my bucket list every week.

From left to right: Rachel in Oxford, England; Canterbury, England.

Day trips are also a great way to explore your host country. I’ve visited Canterbury, Bath, Windsor, York, Oxford and Dover from London—cities which were all just a short train ride away.

Explore Campus Life

It will enrich your study abroad experience if you immerse yourself in your host university.

From left to right: Queen Mary Dance Company at a competition; Rachel in Queen Mary Theatre Company’s production of Legally Blonde.

  • Join Clubs: As soon as I got to Queen Mary I joined the theatre and dance societies, and it was the best decision I’ve made here. I made so many close friendships with students from the UK, which helped me feel at home on campus and helped a lot with loneliness after the UCEAP friends I made in the first semester went home. I also got to participate in musicals and showcases, and the weekly rehearsals were always something I looked forward to.
  • Attend Campus Events: Especially at the beginning of your program, there will be a lot of events put together by your university and UCEAP. I definitely recommend going to these as they are a great way to connect with your campus, other study abroad students, and make great memories!

Queenie, the Queen Mary campus cat.

  • Explore Your Campus: Go beyond your flat and your classrooms to find favorite spots on campus. This could mean studying in a library or coffee shop or eating lunch outside. My favorite spot is the canal house where I can work in a library setting with beautiful views of the canal. We also sometimes get appearances from our campus cat!

Balance Your Home Responsibilities

Studying abroad doesn’t mean you have to be completely separated from home. Keeping up with work, clubs, and relationships are absolutely still possible as long as you are realistic with your expectations and communicate clearly with people. Here are my tips:

  • Set Expectations: I knew I wanted to continue working my on-campus job while I was abroad, and I knew it would be very different from what I was used to. Luckily, a lot of my work was already hybrid and could be done from home, so switching to entirely virtual wasn’t too difficult. I notified my supervisors as soon as I was confirmed for UCEAP and we came up with a plan together for me to work reduced hours with adjusted responsibilities.
  • Manage Your Time: Each week I set aside time in my schedule to work; Life abroad moves very quickly and this allowed me to stay on top of my work and assignments while balancing my activities.
  • Communicate: It’s also essential to communicate with your team to make sure you set realistic expectations and keep them in the loop. A lot of my free time is now taken up by traveling and exploring, so I am very transparent with how much I am actually able to work. I also make sure to communicate well in advance when I will be away for trips and therefore will be unable to work or might need to adjust due dates for projects.

Ultimately, your study abroad journey is yours to decide. There are endless possibilities for how you do it and where you go. No matter what, I know you’ll have an amazing time seeing the world!

Rachel Holmes, Class of 2026, is majoring in media studies and minoring in theater and performance studies.

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