Alex studied in Leeds on the Leeds: University of Leeds (Summer) Program in Summer 2016.

If you could give only one reason, why would you suggest other students study abroad?
It was an amazing experience to really meet other people from around the world and really be immersed in so many different cultures. There really weren’t any cliques which was so cool to experience with so many different cultures. It was also so cool to experience the British culture. A month was plenty of time to really get through the culture shock and experience the culture to the fullest.

What concerns/fears did you have about studying abroad, and how did you overcome them?
My main concern was adapting to the culture and the other cultures of students coming from all over the world. Once I arrived however, the program had plenty of opportunities for us to meet all the other students and everyone in the program was so nice and willing to try and get to know others. It all worked out really nicely.

What experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have had if you had stayed at Penn State?
Honestly I think that there are just as many diverse cultures here at Penn State as there were in Leeds, but a lot of people tend to stay in their own culture cliques here at Penn State, which honestly makes sense. However there everyone was immersed together not like here and it gave everyone the chance to really get to experience those cultures on a day to day basis.

What advice would you give to outbound study abroad students to help them make the most out of their study abroad experiences?
The best advice I can give before you study abroad is to just be willing to try everything your program offers. My program offered so many trips where we had the chance to see so many things and travel all over. I couldn’t imagine the experience I would’ve had if I didn’t do these trips. It gave me the opportunity to really experience the program to the fullest.