Study Abroad

“The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.”― Roald Dahl, Matilda

Studying Abroad at Pacific University, Oregon

The programme for English Literature, or English Literature and Creative Writing, runs for the first semester only at Pacific University. Other courses and joint honors combinations may be different but as I do English Literature combined with Film Studies this was the only host in the US that allowed me to study both whilst there. Location choices for this course include Japan, several hosts in the USA and some European countries such as Spain and Poland. The credit system in the US is different so before you go you have to choose a combination of classes that equal 12 -15 credits which is around 3 or 4 classes depending on how they are weighted. The courses that they offer complimented the work that I had done in first year really well as I already had some knowledge of the topics that the classes covered. They also worked well with modules that I chose this semester as they acted as groundwork for some topics that I was unfamiliar with before.

The English classes that I chose were Monsters Within Literature, Comedy and Tragedy and Love in Modernity; along with a film class called Video for Community Engagement. Something that I noticed straight apacificway with all of my classes is that the level of participation and assessment is a lot higher than it is at YSJ. In most classes participation will count towards the final grade, as well as attendance, and classes are a lot more interactive than the lecture/seminar system. The literature classes included a variety of texts and getting to meet some of the authors of books that we had been working on. In film studies at YSJ it is all theory, meaning that we never actually get behind the camera, however at Pacific the media department is full of filming equipment that you can borrow to be as creative with projects as you want. Although everyone has at least one major, the students can take different classes that aren’t within their major subject which means that you will get to meet even more people than just the ones on your course.

Throughout your stay at Pacific you will have a meal plan which includes a declining balance and meals to get in the UC. There are enough for at least 2 meals per day, depending on the plan that you choose when you are there, and the declining balance is valid for the shop and Starbucks on campus. These are included because you have to stay in university housing during the semester. Having roommates can seem like a daunting thing but it’s surprisingly easy to adapt to. Pacific has several residence halls; Clark, Walter, Cascade, Burlingham, Vandervelden, McCormick and Gilbert. I was put into Clark Hall in a quad room which has gender specific floors (1st and 3rd for girls, 2nd floor for boys) whereas the other buildings don’t have that option. In Clark there are either double rooms that are shared with one other person or quads which are shared with 3 other people. Other halls have apartment style accommodation or single rooms but I would definitely recommend the roommate option because there will always be someone around that you can talk to. My roommates were an international student from Japan, one from Australia and a freshman who is American and had just moved to the university.

The university as a whole is a really friendly campus that has around the same amount of students as YSJ does. It is located in Forest Grove which is a town about an hour away from Portland and Portland International Airport. The international office at Pacific specifies the dates that you need to arrive so that they can provide transport from the airport to the university. If you go for the first semester of second year the whole first week that you are there is International Student Orientation, so there won’t be any freshmen there yet and only a few returning students. After the first week you will join Freshman Orientation and meet all the new students during activities that are scheduled by the university. There are a lot of extra curricular activities that Pacific encourages students to join such as sports, music and even snowboarding classes are offered. The university also has an outdoor pursuits store where you can hire equipment for camping or hiking for a low price.

Whilst studying abroad you can’t help but want to travel at every possible chance that you get. The west coast has amazing places to visit that are just a short journey away such as Los Angeles (2hr flight), Seattle (3hr drive) and even Vancouver in Canada is only a 10 hour drive away. Even though Portland and Oregon are beautiful places it is refreshing to have the opportunity to travel to a new state for a short break away from university life. I would recommend booking some things in advance to keep the cost of trips down if you have somewhere specific in mind that you would like to go.

All in all the study abroad experience is the most eye opening and challenging thing that you could possibly do to become more independent and meet new people from different countries and cultures. It truly gives you friendships and bonds for life with the people that you have shared your experiences with and it may encourage more students to study at YSJ in the future.

By Rebecca Formstone

 

Studying Abroad at Juniata.

Studying abroad, no matter what country you choose will be a life-changing experience. The English Literature course at York St John allows you to study abroad in various different countries around the world and the experience of studying in another country will give you a much wider knowledge of the books you will study during your degree and will sometimes give you a new perspective on texts you’ve already studied.
The new network of friends you will make will also enrich you experience and perhaps even encourage someone from the partner university to study at York St John in future semesters.
Not only does an experience like this look great on a CV to employers, but it is also a great experience that will expand your view of yourself and increase your independence. From booking your flights, to taking new classes and making memories to last a lifetime study abroad is something that you should definitely consider during your time at York St John.

Getting There.

First of all, the number one thing I would recommend is that you travel in a group as flying so far, especially if you aren’t used to it, can be quite daunting and should there be any trouble with your flights, it’s better to be with people you know than have to deal with it by yourself. Plus, another bonus of travelling with others is that your parents will sleep easier!
You have to book and pay for your own flights which is yet another reason to travel with others so that you can get the best deal as flights can get quite expensive depending on where you’re travelling to. If you’re travelling to Europe, there is the Erasmus grant which will cut the cost of your flights, but check the York St John website for more details on this.
If you’re flying long haul, there is a chance that you will get one or two connecting flights meaning that you will have lay overs in different countries or states. Make sure when booking your flights that you have enough time to make your next flight in the time they give you for the layover considering that you will have to go through security again.
When you arrive at the airport closest to the University, there will be a taxi waiting to pick you up. The University will email you with details about this closer to the time that you arrive. They will then take you to the college, which from State College airport is about a 45 minute drive, and there will be international students ready to greet you, give you all of your welcome information and comforts, and show you your room. This can all be a little overwhelming as you will probably have been travelling for almost a day, so just bear with this first bit. And trust me, if there is any moment when you are going to have a breakdown and question whether or not you can actually conquer this experience, it will be this first night. Power through it and get to the next morning and meet your roommates, this is so important in helping you get acquainted with your new home for four months.

Living There.

Food.

One of the best things about Juniata College is that all of your meals are catered and that goes for everyone. You are assigned a meal plan which allows you a certain amount of meals throughout your time there. It is important to keep an eye on your meals and how you’re using them as there is a chance that you may run out by the end of the semester. This is no reason to panic – the college provide three meals a day but breakfast can be easily skipped and substituted for something from one of the cafes around campus. You also get a monetary allowance called ‘DCB’. Using this, you can purchase coffees, snacks and meal deals. By using a mixture of your DCB and your meal plan you will have no problems having three meals a day.
In Baker Refectory there are several stations for every meal. There is a sandwich station which makes wraps and sandwiches, allowing you to build your own sandwich like Subway. There is also a station called Simple Servings, which is great for if you have any food allergies or intolerances as the food at that station is made without things like gluten and dairy. There is a grill station which can be making anything from burgers to philly cheesesteaks, I even had freshly made pancakes from there, complete with cream, sauce, chocolate chips and berries. There is a home style station which usually serves dishes like lasagne or chicken and mashed potatoes. There is also a hot plate section, here at lunch and dinner times, you can make your own stir fry, choosing from a selection of vegetables including split peas, pineapples and water chestnuts, you choose chicken, beef or shrimp and rice or noodles. It’s all cooked up for you on the hot plate right in front of you and you can dress it with your choice of sauce and garnishes. There is also a pizza station that also provides a ‘build your own pasta’ section in which you pick what goes in your pasta, they cook it for you and you go and collect it, very similar to the stir fry line.
There is a till at the entrance and there will be a person who will swipe your gold card and use one of your meals and then you can go in. If you reach a point where you’re having to be careful with your meals (you can check how many meals you have left on the Juniata Arch website or by asking the person at the till as they swipe your card) you can hand them your gold card and ask to use DCB for that meal or hand over cash and pay for it that way.
Muddy is another option. Now called Eagles Landing, this cafeteria is still called Muddy by many of the students and it is an alternative to Baker. You can use your meals or DCB in Muddy but the selection of meals on offer don’t change day to day like they do in Baker. There is a Mexican station, where you can get burritos, tacos or quesadillas, there is a burger station which offers a selection of burgers and sides including mac and cheese, there is a sandwich station very similar to subway and a salad station. The prices are clearly marked in Muddy meaning that you know what you’re spending if you choose to use your DCB or cash instead.
The fact that all of your meals are catered is such a bonus as there is an incredible workload at Juniata and being able to just go and eat really helps to cut down time wasted cooking and washing up. It also means that the potential for mess in your room is significantly decreased which is always a good thing.

Gold Cards.

One of your first tasks once arriving at the college will be to get your gold card. This will be one of your most important items as you will probably use it for everything. A handy hint is to buy one of the lanyards the College sells to keep it in as you will need it to hand every day. Your gold card allows you to get into every accommodation building on campus, the outer doors lock automatically so without a gold card you won’t be able to get in. However this is a good feature of the campus as it really helps to make you feel safe.
In addition to this, as I’ve already mentioned, you will need your gold card at meal times and to buy food and drinks from cafes.
You also need your gold card to check out library books and to collect any packages from the post office. It is like your form of ID and currency while you’re at college.

Accommodation.

Accommodation is slightly different at Juniata as you have roommates. Don’t panic when you hear this, you will receive a roommate preference form in order for you to tell the college about yourself and what you want in a roommate so that they can match you with someone similar to you.
There are several accommodations at Juniata: Cloister Hall, Sherwood Hall, Lesher Hall, East Houses, Nathan Hall, South Hall, Sunderland Hall and Tussey-Terrace Hall. All of the residence halls bear a similar resemblance to each other. You will be assigned a bedroom which you will share with someone and there will be a common room for every few rooms. There are some differences between the residence halls, for example, Lesher is an all-female residence and East is made up of a more apartment type structure whereas most of the other accommodations are either a corridor or floor of individual bedrooms with bathrooms at either end. These bathrooms can be female, male or all-gender.
I stayed in East Houses and I was in one of the smaller rooms in east, typically they are made up of four bedrooms, a common room and a bathroom with two toilets and showers. I stayed in a quad, which is half the size, there were two bedrooms in my room and a common room and the bathroom had just one toilet and shower. My roommate was the RA for that tower in East so she was very useful in answering any questions I had about the college and she was a great way to get involved in college life. In the other bedroom in my room was another exchange student (a girl from the University of Leeds who is taking a year out at Juniata) and a freshman girl.
One of the greatest things about the residence halls at Juniata is that you are allowed a wide variety of additional comforts that you aren’t allowed in York: you can have a pet fish, a fridge and a microwave (not that any of these things are realistic possessions of an international student but it’s a nice advantage if your roommate has them).

Initial Arrival.

Juniata College ask that you arrive two weeks before classes start in order for you to go through orientation and get settled into the campus and life at Juniata. There is an adjustment period that you will need to experience as culture shock is a potential risk but it is very easily manageable. York St John will hold a meeting that you must attend before you leave and they will address any health and wellness issues that might arise by doing study abroad. The first thing you will do is a week of orientation with the international office where they will hold activities and sessions which will help you integrate with other international students. These include library tours, campus tours and talks by important figures at the college to make sure that all of the correct paperwork has been filled out etc.
Then you will experience a few days of regular orientation with freshman students which consists of team-building activities and these are typically led by other students who can answer your questions about the college. After this is a three day retreat that you will be asked to pick before you arrive and for this you will be in a group combined of freshman students and international students. These range from retreats such as ‘Mind, Body, and Spirit ’to ‘White Water Rafting’. These will get you out into the local area while also keeping you on campus to attend a few more mandatory sessions. These first few weeks are incredibly busy and this is to keep you occupied so that you don’t feel too much homesickness and it is very effective. In addition, due to the college being so small and close-knit, the people that you go through orientation with will bump into you throughout your time at Juniata meaning that you will always have a familiar face to talk to.

The Campus.

Juniata College has a very beautiful campus with various buildings for different subjects. Your orientation experience will help you become better acquainted with these buildings and which ones you will be spending the majority of your time with depending on what classes you will be taking. Here is a campus map with labels for the name of each building:

To add to the inclusive community in the local town of Huntingdon, many of the professors live in town so this means that there is a very slim chance of there being a snow day (and trust me the snow will fall) as they can all walk to work if necessary. Sorry about that.

Lessons.

The classes you will take at Juniata are slightly different to what you will get used to at York St John. You will be asked to pick your classes before you arrive at Juniata as you have to get them signed off by the head of your subject as the credit system is different in America and you have to make sure that the credits you get over there will translate back to the English system. I would advise that you make an appointment with one of your lecturers to pick your classes to make sure that you are making the right choices for you and this way you are guaranteed to be picking classes that will qualify when you return to York St John.
Some of the requirements of studying in America is that you have at least twelve credits. Without twelve credits your visa will become void and you won’t be allowed to stay in the USA. Classes are typically around three or four credits each so you will be averaging about four classes while you’re over there.
There are variety of classes to choose from and one of the cool things about Juniata is that you aren’t as restricted by your subject as you are in York. Even for regular students at the college, they have a POE which stands for ‘Point of Emphasis’. This is like a major but you can customise it however you want, so if you wanted to do a major in dance and economics that would be perfectly acceptable. This means that when you are picking your classes, providing that the classes are still open, you can pick from any subject and any level. In America, there are four years of study at college meaning that you can pick a class at 100 level, which is freshman year or a 400 level which is senior year level. I took two 100 level classes, a 200 level class and a 300 level class.
When you arrive at Juniata, part of your orientation will be an appointment that the college makes for you to meet your Academic Tutor. When we got there some of the classes that I had originally picked had been closed and I didn’t realise. So my tutor and I went through classes again, and picked out two extras which happened to be classes that she was teaching that semester. It’s important to know that you can take classes at different levels as one of the reasons some of my classes had closed was because I was restricting myself to just 200 level classes. Feel free to branch out and pick any that sound interesting to you.
The structure of your timetable will be slightly different at Juniata too. The timetable is worked out so that your Tuesdays and Thursdays are the same, and your Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are the same. The class schedules are repeated on those days.
Another important point to note is that the workload will be extreme. There are lots of pieces of homework set similar to at York St John, to help begin discussion in the next class and to show the professor that you are actually reading what they are setting you to read. However, the difference is that basically every piece of work you do will go toward you final grade. There is a participation grade, meaning that the amount that you contribute to class discussion etc, will be graded too. This means that you can skip pieces of work or have a weekend where you don’t do anything. You will get about 2 actual assignments too and these will be on the texts that you are studying. I only had one research paper, so the beauty of these classes is that you can focus on just close reading the texts that you study, something which I really enjoy. Be prepared also for the amount of reading you will have to do for these classes, for my 300 level class, which was called Young Adult lit, we had to read 12 books in a semester. They were enjoyable reading because they were young adult and some I had read before but paired with the work I had to do for other classes, I had to polish off my time management skills to get everything done.
Overall though, all of the professors and the class content were a great experience.

Application process.

Applications for study abroad are usually due by December the year before you want to go so there isn’t really much time to debate the decision. The application is compiled of mainly information about you and the course that you are taking. You will also need to provide a personal statement in which you explain why you want to go on study abroad and why you would make the most of the experience. The year that I went, everyone that applied received a place. You will then hear back from the study abroad office around February telling you whether your application was successful and where you will be going. On the application form, you will be given the space to select a top five of partner universities that you can study at. This is why it will be useful to check out the study abroad section of the York St John website as they have a world map of all the different places your course will let you go. The English Literature department has a wide variety of countries to visit in and outside of Europe. If you are a joint honours student, as long as it’s agreed with your course leader, you can go to a University that is only available for one of your subjects. So for example, if the university you wanted to visit was only available on the English Literature course, you could discuss it with your course leader for your other subject, and go there even though it isn’t an option for that subject.
After you have chosen your modules and filled in the appropriate forms (you will get these from the study abroad office, all of the women who work there are lovely!) you will need to get your visa. Be warned, this, along with the flights are the priciest part of the application process. You will need to accommodate for travel to London to the US Embassy for your interview and the money for the online application for the visa (which is quite long, so allow plenty of time to do it properly). This is probably the most complex part of the application process but that doesn’t mean that it’s difficult, most of these questions are simple security questions. This page of the York St John website is helpful in allowing you to economically plan for your trip – https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/international/study-abroad-and-exchange/outgoing-york-st-john-students/essential-information/.

 

On the whole, this experience will be one of the most life changing things you can do and will be so enriching for you. You will make some great memories and see some personal growth too as well as gaining new life-long friends. Studying abroad with York St John is one of the best opportunities to utilise during your time here and will even give you some ideas on what you might want to do post-university.

Useful Links.

 

By Tilly Martin

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