I have always loved travelling – seeing new places, experiencing new cultures, and meeting new people are what I live for. Going abroad has been a goal of mine since I began college. Everyone I knew who studied abroad for a semester had raved about it, claiming it was the best time of their lives. After studying in Dublin, Ireland for five months, I can safely say this is true.

Being abroad was an integral part of my academic career, as a hospitality major with a minor in international business, meeting new people from different parts of the world is crucial for my career trajectory. It is one thing to pass through a city while on vacation; it is an entirely different experience when you immerse yourself directly in the culture. I struggled at first to get a hold of the Irish accents, especially in lectures. But that eased with time.

From an academic perspective, school while abroad is very different. It is more independent, and project-orientated (little homework, but the professors will not hold your hand). It became a balance of immersing myself in my courses, balancing a new social life, and exploring new cities whenever possible. Time management was crucial, and I am grateful for the opportunity to try education in a different manner. Studying abroad gave me the perfect taste of what it is to live in Europe, and I know I will return and fulfill a portion of my finance/hospitality career there. It inspired me to even pursue dual citizenship. Currently, I am in the process of obtaining my Croatian citizenship so that I may work easily in the EU once I graduate.

On a personal level, I met a variety of people and tried to collect as many friends as possible. I had always been a bit more reserved when it came to friendships, but I quickly realized that I needed to put myself out there and step outside my comfort zone. I have never had such a wide range of friends with so many different interests and backgrounds. It inspired me to live fearlessly, putting myself in uncomfortable social situations that I would have avoided prior to this. Being surrounded by such a myriad of people, I found myself admiring different qualities about them and practicing those myself. I am a braver, more outgoing, lighthearted, and happier person because of this experience. I didn’t know anybody from Michigan State going to study at UCD, but I came out of my semester abroad with tons of lifelong friendships who I continue to communicate with daily.

Additionally, studying abroad means I did a ton of travelling, exploring over fifteen different countries with my new friends! Every weekend was a new experience navigating foreign territory. I became an expert on integrating myself seamlessly into new cultures for a couple days, often researching cultural norms of the country before I arrived. It truly teaches adaptation at a rapid pace.

I could not have had a better abroad experience, from both a social and an academic perspective. I will carry this journey with me for the rest of my life, forever grateful I was exposed to millions of different people and cultures.

Name: Amanda Dermott
Status: Junior
Majors: Finance and Hospitality Business
Hometown: Oak Park, California
Program: University College Dublin