Sophie Dunn – Film & Media – Level 3
UMass Amherst, USA
After two years attending Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, I applied to the exchange programme at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was delighted to be accepted. This gave me a once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel to the USA and expand my education. The experience has been very enriching to me and has exposed me to new places, new people, a new culture, and given me a new understanding of the world.
Campus and accommodation
I left during the second semester and moved to Amherst, a little town located relatively close to New York City and Boston. I lived on UMass’ gigantic campus among thirty-thousand other students in the most animated district called Southwest, fifteen-minute walk away from my classes. The campus is very well served by the bus system. I shared a bedroom with another student which is common in American campuses. Although this idea sounded awkward at first, I really got along with my roommate, and I got used to it very quickly to a point where the room nearly felt too empty when she was away. I met many outgoing people in my building and although quiet during the week, there was a lot of socializing at weekends.
Weather
When I was there, temperatures were very cold in Massachusetts. It snowed a lot and reached minus twenty degrees Celsius in February. It started getting warm in April, but the weather remained unstable and could completely change one day to the other.
Cafeteria
All UMass students staying on campus are obliged to take a meal plan. There are four enormous dining halls offering unlimited quality food from worldwide kitchens. There was a small kitchen in my accommodation building, but it was shared between hundreds of students and was not convenient to use on a regular basis.
Classes
The American educational system gave me a different perspective on the cinema world and allowed me to enhance my film and media studies. I mainly picked practical modules that provided a great opportunity to develop my skills in film making. I directed a short documentary and an experimental short film, took part in the making of a TV programme for the university, and made multiple video essays. I was allowed access to good equipment and studios. Overall, I really enjoyed my classes which gave me the chance to accomplish projects and meet very interesting classmates and professors.
Night life and events
Many events were organized by the university or clubs such as sport matches, fashion shows, concerts, markets, etc. The night life in the USA is very different from the UK. The main house-parties on campus were organized by “fraternities”, groups of male students living together in big houses. I personally did not like the concept. For instance, boys were not allowed to the parties if not accompanied by six girls. Day parties were also very common. I preferred going to the bars, but this wasn’t possible until I turned twenty-one.
Travels
This exchange programme gave me the opportunity to explore other beautiful parts of the world and to come upon new landscapes. I visited Boston and New York City and explored New England as a member of the hiking club. I went to Mexico during spring break, one of the most beautiful places I have been to. At the end of the semester and before my visa expired, I went on a road trip to California for a month with friends I made at UMass. Once again, this has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I saw many national parks such as the Grand Canyon, and famous cities like Las Vegas, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
Budget
Accommodation and catering were very expensive at UMass. I received a funding from Santander that allowed me to handle these expenses. I wouldn’t have been able to consider this exchange without this scholarship. I was then free to spend money on travels, club memberships, outings etc. In other words, unforgettable experiences that were only possible for me due to the Santander scholarship which I will always be grateful for.
Culture differences
I felt big cultural challenges when I first arrived in the USA. First, everything was on such a huge scale. The university and cities were enormous, distances vast and sceneries endless. Public transport was less developed than in Europe so it was more challenging and time-consuming for me to get from one place to the other. Most of the American students solved this issue by having a car. Second, everything was more expensive and shopping required careful budgeting. The Santander scholarship was essential for me. Finally, I felt that the people were very different from Europeans in terms of the culture, values, humour and aspirations. In fact at the beginning, I found it difficult to relate to them so I tended to stay with other exchange students who would understand me better. I met people from Ecuador, Australia, South Korea, Netherlands etc. Some of these people became deeply close friends and made my experience even more incredible.
I learned a lot on the human and academic level during this semester abroad. I am now returning to Queen Margaret University with new ideas, new perspectives and increased open-mindedness which will enhance my fourth year. I am forever thankful to Queen Margaret University for organising scholarships and partnerships with other universities in the world, that allow students like me to study abroad for a period of time and live a unique and unforgettable experience.
