Things We Wish We'd Known

Things we wish we'd known before coming to England:

• Laundry costs money. £1.80-£2.00 to wash, and £1 to dry.
• If you go left out of the front gate at St. John's campus, or right out of the side gate, after a short walk you'll reach a convenience store.
• You will be living with freshmen.
• The Gym closes at 7 M-F (and is virtually not open on the weekends 11-4) so if you want a workout get it done early
• Automatic doors are often not automatic in the American sense. You need to press a button to open them. (Not always, but most of them)
• You will be docked on an assignment if a word was not spelt the British way (colour, honour, fulfil, etc.) Be careful!
• There is a Staples located behind Asda - if you need specific school/office supplies this is a good place to go!

Just Remember That...

• Classes are once a week in England, so they're 2-4 hours straight.  
• They drive on the opposite side of the road. Just be careful. 
• You may speak English, but you don't speak English; be prepared for some confusion and some possibly awkward situations.

Monthly Bills? Not so many...

• My cell phone bill (that would be a "mobile" in the UK) is a fraction of what it was in the U.S. 
• No car = no car insurance, no parking fee, and no gas (that would be "petrol" here, but I may have to reheel a few of my boots with all the walking ;)
• No rent or utilities...they're rolled into the program fee :)

Tips and such

• If you're nervous about purchasing products that aren't brand names you recognize, before you knock it, take a look at the logo and how it's presented, even if it has a different name, it might be the same product. (Lay's potato chips are called Walkers here. Cottenelle toilet paper is called Andrex. Axe is called Lynx.) Also, there's plenty of brands you'll recognize, so don't freak out. But, be adventurous and try new things, of course!
• If you're looking for ginger ale, Schweppes Canada Dry Ginger Ale is what you want. The Co-op brand for sure is VERY gingery, and burned my throat when I drank it too fast. (Almost more like ginger beer, but not as rich.)
• For cell phones, if you can, unlock yours. It makes life so much easier. This can be done by calling your cell phone carrier, but if they are unwilling to do it for you and you're willing to mess with your phone yourself, you can find guides online.
• If you choose to go with Orange as your provider here, the Dolphin plan is AMAZING, especially if you have a smartphone you can use. If you top up for £20 a month, you get unlimited texting inside the UK and 3gb of data, as well as the £20 credit, which can be used for calling any time or texting when outside the UK.

Packing ProTips™

As departure time draws nearer, here are some tips on how to pack for your year abroad:

1. You get a carry-on, a second smaller carry-on (such as a purse or backpack), and a checked bag that must weigh under 50 pounds. Make sure to double check these requirements as it may change between now and September.
2. Bring a towel. It seems like a silly and simple idea, but you will get to Worcester and feel gross and want to shower and most stores in Worcester close by 5 PM and you won't know where to find them.
3. If you're attached to your regular stick deodorant-pack it! Spray deodorant is all the rage here.
4. Pack lots of socks and underwear. Laundry costs money and while you can rewear pants and shirts, most would prefer you do not do this with your undergarments. Besides, socks and underwear are small and easy to fit in a suitcase.
5. Put heavier things in your carry on. There is a weight limit, but they are much less likely to double check.
6. Wear as many clothes as you can on your flight. This means tank tops, shirts, sweaters, jackets, whatever you can fit. Also wear your heaviest shoes, even if they aren't fun to take on and off. Trust us.
7. Bring something small that will remind you of home. Whether that be a stuffed animal, pictures, or a smaller blanket. It will spruce up your room and remind you of America.
8. Start off with just travel sizes of toiletries. Shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste are all fairly cheap here.
9. How many clothes you bring depends on the person. We would recommend, though, bringing simple things you can mix and match. And never underestimate comfortable clothes. Yes, you will want to look nice most of the time, but there will be days when all you want is sweatpants.
10. Bring multiple converters, or one converter with multiple plugins. You will probably want to charge more than one thing at a time (for most things you need something like this, but double check before you buy anything).
11. Bring an Ethernet cable for your computer, as not all rooms have wireless access.
12. We will be leaving behind a bunch of random stuff for a lottery. We have been a lovely and fairly clean group who will be leaving behind many things in good condition. Take advantage of the opportunity of free bedding and blankets.
13. Pack snacks in your carry on to eat on the plane. Nine hours with nothing to do and you will want to kill the stranger next to you for their Snickers.
14. Think about packing things you can leave behind---old clothes and towels can be thrown out at the end of the year, and you probably won't be bringing toiletries back. This just makes packing to go home that much easier.
15. Bring your pharmaceuticals! Even things such as ibuprofen and cold medicines are expensive (and Americans are used to higher doses of medicines, so they won't always work as well). And don't forget your prescriptions! You need a written prescription if you are going to be renewing it in England.

Staying Engaged in England

One of the most grueling decisions I had to make after committing to studying abroad was what classes I was going to take. Unlike some of the people accompanying me on the trip, I had most of my generals complete and there were not many classes that fit into my major or minor. So, I thought to myself, “why not just take classes that seem easy?” And honestly, I believe this thought has led to my slight academic downfall.

I am told that the module system is changing a bit for next year, but as it stands now, modules last between three and four hours and are held once a week. Most of them are taught by either one or two instructors that alternate weeks, and each module has a small number of assessments that make up your final grade (most of my modules have two or three assessments). There are not any extra credit options or participation points, but attendance is required with a no more than three absences policy.

The lack of monitoring on reading and small number, if any tests, that you are required to take, along with the length of classes and the fact that you are in a beautiful country with many amazing places to see, means that it is quite hard to keep yourself motivated academically. I have witnessed this struggle to commit to school and homework in just about every member of the 2013-14 SIE group. School is not as high of a priority for us, as it was back at UMD, and I for one wish that I had done a few things differently to make it easier on myself to do better in my classes.

Before we left, everyone was telling me how much harder school was over here, and they were right, but none of them explained to me why it was harder. And that is what I want to talk to you about. It is harder because classes last three times longer than you are used to and it is hard to pay attention for that long. It is harder because you have very little material to base your grade off of. Three assignments is not very many and if you mess up one, you have little opportunity for redemption. It is harder, because while you speak English you are in a foreign country that has different academic expectations and ways of grading. It is harder because the distractions offered to you are so different from the ones you are used to back home. And in all reality, it is harder because you care less.

None of this however is meant to deter you or make you nervous. Everyone I know is doing relatively well in their modules. I simply want you to be prepared for what is to come and hope that you will listen to me when I tell you not to pick “easy” seeming classes. Take modules that sound interesting to you, genuinely, academically, interesting to you, so that when you have to sit there for three hours you are engaged. Don’t just take History in Film, because it seems like a breeze. Trust me it isn’t, if you are not prepared to take on the role of a historian and really engross yourself in the subject. Take classes you think will matter to you, that count towards your major if possible, and that you are invested in, so you can and are motivated to do well in them. I also recommend that you take the least number of credits that you can get by taking, while staying on track for graduation, so that you have time to sate your desire for distraction outside of class and homework.

This may all seem like pretty obvious advice, but me and many people who came before me have made the mistake of trying to take the easy way out, and we paid for it by spending three or more hours every week sitting through mind-numbingly boring classes and working on assignments that became ten times harder because we could not care less about them and the subject that they were on. Do not underestimate the weight of your assignments. The classes you take here do transfer back to UMD and affect your GPA, so do whatever possible to make sure that you won’t put school on the backburner and forget about it.

-Jill

Work & Volunteering in Worcester

School is expensive, and studying abroad can be really daunting especially when it comes to money. With classes once a week it gives me a bit more free time than expected (at least for me I was shocked by the amount of time I have available to stream Netflix, but lets be honest time can be spent better). While you are in Europe you have easy access to a lot more countries than when you are in the U.S. so travelling is a great experience and overall fantastic. Not only does travel cost money but food and everything else is money as well. So for the people who are little more worried about expenses, have the free time, or just would like the experience, getting a job is an option. But if you are someone who has a lot of free time and does not want the responsibility of a job, volunteering is also pretty awesome too.

When you first arrive in Worcester you will be here about a week ahead of incoming freshman, this gives you a good opportunity to go out and look for jobs. Most summer help will have left their positions, and freshman will not be moved in yet, this is the best time to see what shops are looking for help while you are exploring your new home. Being as it is your first week in a new country your instinct might be to wait, but don’t, send in applications and talk to employees, the chances are if you get a job you won’t be starting right away and it takes a few days for managers to go through applicants. But keep in mind that you will be needing a bank account and cell phone when you get a job – both of these things most of us managed to get in the first week so you shouldn’t have too much of an issue.

Things you will need in applying for jobs:

• A CV (also known as a resumé)
• Proof that you can work in the UK (your visa)
• A National Insurance number (like a Social Security number in the US, there is help available at the University for international students to obtain this)

Volunteering is also a great option for people who want to get involved in the community but want fewer restrictions. Becoming involved within the Worcester community helps it feel much more like home, and going out and doing things helps with homesickness. There are a few places in Worcester that are run on volunteers, unlike jobs you do not need an experience, just a desire to help out. For volunteering, it is a bit like a job, you look for signs in the windows, talk to the shop manager, fill out an application, and then you will be asked to come back so you can be briefed on what you will be doing. Some shops such as; The Healthy Planet Free Bookstore, and Secondhand Charity shops will ask for a weekly commitment that you can decide when you can work. But there are other options that are not a weekly commitment, some students have volunteered at the Worcestershire animal rescue – now for someone who has a dog at home and misses her very much, this is an awesome idea. They were required to go through a training session, because they were working with animals, but once they completed that they were allowed to come when they were free and didn’t need to make a weekly commitment, although they did want to. There is also a website (as well as twitter) that is constantly updating on new volunteering opportunities (Worcester Volunteer Centre), which includes both one time, as well as longer termed commitments. And if you are not able to find something listed on the site, you can always go to the trusty backup, and Google it.

Both working abroad and volunteering abroad is a great experience, it shows future employers that you weren’t just visiting a place for the year but you actively became involved and made it your second home. As someone who is involved in volunteering while abroad, I think it is really fun and worthwhile. It is a great opportunity to meet people who grew up here and talk to them about their culture. I volunteer in a free bookstore, and I get to spend four hours every week talking to people about my culture and comparing it to theirs, which is something I never thought I would get to say.

-Bekcy & Hannah

Start Planning Now: Budgeting

In my belief, having a successful budget doesn’t mean that you are a super saver; it means you are capable of living comfortably with the funds that you have. The key to budgeting is having good spending habits. As a student living on their own in a separate country, I want you to realize that you are completely responsible for yourself. There will be nobody around to call you up and say “Hey! Don’t waste your money!” so my recommendation is, start learning to support your lifestyle on your own now. Your first steps to make sure you won’t be high and dry halfway through the semester should consist of a few things:

1. Plan the places you want to visit. Everybody does the last minute trip to London, but trips that take you off of the island should be thought out before you leave. Look into travel options and find the cheapest way you can get there and then look into housing and accommodations. Don’t worry about food yet. Having a rough estimate of travel and accommodation costs for a few trips you want to take can help judge about how much money you’ll need for traveling.
2. Start shopping at grocery stores for all your food. I cannot stress enough how much money you’ll save shopping for fresh groceries, as opposed to visiting the Cornish bakery for a sausage roll. Start to become familiar with the prices of foods you buy often in the States. When you shop at local stores you can compare food prices between England and the States so you know roughly how much you are spending.
3. When you come over to England, there will be a conversion rate between the pound and dollar. Last year for every 1 dollar, it converted to .56 pounds. Keeping the conversion rate in mind will help you understand price comparisons. For example, a box of cereal in here in England might be 2.49. However after the conversion rate that’s roughly 3.75, a dollar and 25 cents more expensive.
   (the rough current dollar-to-pound exchange rate can be found on Google)
4. The program recommends that you save between 3,000 and 6,000 dollars for living over here. If you plan on taking a couple large trips, then yes, I agree, that is an accurate estimate of what you’ll need. I would say a good middle ground is 3,500-4,000 because I know 6,000 is a lot of money to save. Also, whatever you spend money on over here and decide to take back with you, you will need to pay taxes on, so don’t fill your suitcase with things that you could find back in the states. Only bring back with you the things that are important moments of your journey abroad.

I handle my money on my own; it’s up to me to know how much I have in my accounts. I would recommend that you too learn how to handle your own bank account. This way you’ll understand how much of an impact buying an extra latte or sausage roll has on your funds. However, bear in mind that you will be over here for a year, and it is very important that you feel at home and relaxed. Don’t feel like you have to scrounge every pence you have to keep yourself alive. You are in England, which is a precious and wonderful opportunity, so enjoy it.

-Jacob