Studying abroad in Oxford was such a fantastic experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Going into the program, I was very nervous because I didn’t know any of the other people I was going with, but I quickly learned that I was surrounded by a great group. We all connected so quickly, which I think in part was due to the environment we were staying in.

We completed the first half of our program at the Chalet, a research building located in Wytham Woods and owned by the University of Oxford. While at the Chalet, I had the opportunity to meet and interact with various researchers from the University who came from all over the world.

One of my favorite days at the Chalet was our bird and bat day. We spent the first half of our day ringing birds, which involved catching them, recording data, and then releasing them back into the woods. We also learned about and got to fly the drones used to track the canopy of the woods, which was so amazing! We then spent the rest of our day trying to find bats in the bird houses. We eventually found a group of eight mothers and their babies and were able to observe the bat researcher collecting data and feeding them.

We also had a bug day at the Chalet, where we learned the proper techniques for sweeping the grasslands and got to learn about each bug we collected from the entomologist who accompanied us. Meeting these researchers and participating in data collection was an amazing experience that provided me with a great deal of insight into ecological research as a career.

We spent the second half of the program in downtown Oxford in the university dorms. I learned so much about the history of the city and the university. The architecture of Oxford was incredibly beautiful, and each building had so much historical character. I also loved the experience of staying in the dorms as it allowed me to step into the shoes of an Oxford student.

This program was absolutely incredible, and I would highly recommend it to any student considering studying abroad. I learned so much about the English culture during my short stay and had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people. Not only did I gain a great deal of knowledge from this program, but I also formed many new friendships and created lifelong memories.

• Name: Grace Sullivan
• Status: Junior
• Majors: Human Biology and Genetics and Genomics
• Hometown: Lake Orion, Michigan
• Program: Ecology: The Birth and Development of a New Science