Iona Jordan – Events & Festival Management – Level 3
St Edward’s University, USA
I first found out about studying abroad through Gemma Blackledge-Foughali at a business school meeting at QMU (Queen Margaret University) and we discussed the opportunity afterwards and she told me to email her for more information. Then before I knew it, I was accepted into St Edwards University in Austin Texas, USA which was my first choice. It is a lengthy process to get everything in place such as health insurance, student visa, applications, and financial deposits but it is so worth it. The only thing I would have wished for through that period was to have had an in-person meeting with the study abroad team at QMU to go through everything I was supposed to do prior to going away, as it was stressful, and I wasn’t 100% sure what exactly I was doing/filling out.
Accommodation:
I decided to stay on campus as St Edwards as it was a straightforward process and thought it was the best and safest option for me to meet new people. I couldn’t have asked for better student halls; I stayed in the St Andres apartments, and it was so lovely and had everything I needed. I would highly recommend staying on campus at St Edwards as it is located on South Congress, which is remarkably close to downtown Austin, it has lovely cafes, bars, restaurants, and everything I could possibly need was in walking distance.
University life:
I had one extra module at St Edwards compared to Queen Maragret and they were all in-person lectures. I really enjoyed all my classes and loved how passionate the professors were. I had weekly work to be completed that went towards my final grade, which was different to what I was used to at Queen Maragret. I preferred how it was a compilation of my work throughout the whole semester that determined my grade and not just based on one final essay or exam.
What I did in my spare time:
During my spare time, I made the most of the sunny and warm weather and spent most of my time outdoors. Me and friends loved going for long walks down South Congress and finding hidden gems along the way and stopping in wherever we heard live music. Road trips with my friends were a regular highlight, as we explored all over Austin and we went further afield to Houston and Lake Travis. The local markets always had something intriguing to offer, and sunbathing at the local outdoor pool or taking a dip in the famous Barton Springs was a must on hot days. Me and my friends also took advantage of the free student bus pass to downtown and saw all the amazing murals along the way. Kayaking down the river was another favourite pastime. A lot of fun, lively nights out were had, and Austin is definitely the live music capital of the world!
Finances:
In the months leading up to me moving away, I put in extra hours at work and saved over summer to save up for my study abroad adventure. Thankfully, my hard work paid off, and I managed to set aside enough to cover my expenses while I was away. I’m incredibly grateful to my parents for their support, they covered my university fees, meal plan and accommodation, which was an enormous help. I was also lucky enough to have been sponsored by Santander and receive funding. This helped me hugely for the purchase of my flights and visa expenses, without the Santander funding, I would have struggled financially to fund my study abroad experience. I am so thankful Santander and my parents helped me towards my dream of studying on the other side of the world and helped me pursue this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Overall/ advice for anyone thinking on going on a study abroad:
My study abroad experience is hands down the best decision I have ever made. This experience as a whole has taught me so much about myself and really pushed me out of my comfort zone. It has taught me that I can move to a different country by myself, putting myself out there to meet new people and honestly find out who I am and what I want to do in the future. I have met some of the most amazing people and created friendships that will last a lifetime. I travelled after university to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, LA and Mexico with my friends I met over in Austin, and it was incredible to learn about everyone’s different backgrounds and cultures. I am so proud of myself for taking the leap and doing it, it feels so scary but once you’re there it’s all worthwhile. I am so thankful to Laura, Gemma, St Edwards team, Santander and my parents for providing me with this once and lifetime experience.
