Travel back in time at the picturesque Dean Village in the heart of Edinburgh!

Author: Tessa Freberg | Majors: Supply Chain Management, Organizational Management and Leadership | Semester: Fall 2024

In the fall semester of my senior year, I decided to study abroad at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Business. Studying abroad during my senior year was a bold decision as senior year is full of memorable lasts (and even some firsts), but that also meant it was one of my last opportunities to study abroad as an undergrad. This meant I needed to make the most of it and pick somewhere truly special. I had never been to the United Kingdom before and knew I wanted to live in one of their cities for a semester. I had a daunting choice between London, Brighton, Glasgow, and finally Edinburgh. A city that lives and breathes literature. From the Scott monument and its impressive heights dominating the city to its writers’ museum nestled in a courtyard off a close (alley) of their Royal Mile. As someone who loves literature and reads frequently, I knew this city was the perfect choice for me. Not only was the city perfect, but the university also fit my needs with a highly accredited business program and the flexibility to take a literature course.

This was a new and exciting academic journey for me as the school system in Scotland is very different from that in the United States. Looking at the syllabus for my classes on the first day of school was daunting as my grades for all classes rested on one to two projects or essays and a singular exam. This was quite different from what I was used to, and even more so, there was a heavy emphasis on individual work and minimal class time. This placed heavy personal responsibility on me to conduct readings outside of class, begin studying weeks ahead of time, and take charge of all projects as quickly as possible.

This emphasis on study groups and group projects stood out to me during the semester. Every week, my Scottish literature course had a small tutorial consisting of only nine students, where we would discuss readings from class in further depth. In this tutorial, I was assigned to 3 person group that had to meet weekly before the tutorial for discussion on our assigned questions. This group became one of my favorite parts of my week as we met for coffee and discussed literature and understanding. I found that it boosted my understanding of the works we were reading heavily, and I felt far more comfortable in class discussions. Along with this tutorial group, I was also assigned a small group for my management science course for our first project of the semester. This was one of the hardest projects I have ever encountered in my academic career, but it was equally the most rewarding project as my group bonded during late nights and meetings with our professor. These connections I made, though initially assigned, were some of the greatest and most rewarding relationships I had formed while abroad.

Spending a semester abroad was equally rewarding as I explored multiple areas of the United Kingdom and Europe! During my time abroad, I was able to visit 6 different cities around the world and over 5 Scottish towns. My visit to Pitlochry in the Highlands of Scotland stands out to me a lot. It was a 3-hour train ride away, and it flew by as the scenery was gorgeous during October. The autumn leaves blanketed the forest and covered the ground as our train passed through multiple Scottish towns. My friend from Switzerland visited me that weekend, and we had afternoon tea in their tea shop before exploring the forests around Pitlochry. To end our day, we stopped and looked at their Salmon Ladder near the dam. This trip was amazing as we explored a quintessential Scottish town at the height of autumn.

Another magical trip was my visit to Vienna. The city took me completely by surprise as its buildings towered over me, and their sheer size was breathtaking. The building’s opulence and larger-than-life statues guarding on the roofs were magnificent. Here I met my boyfriend, who is studying abroad in Germany, and together we were able to see Das Phantom der Oper at an accredited theatre for only 10 euros each (they were standing seats). Though the play was entirely in German, the acting and singing were the best I had seen in any play, and I found myself whisked away by the magic of it all. We ended our two-day trip with a classical concert in the house Mozart lived and played in. This trip was absolutely magical, and Vienna has quickly become tucked into my heart as one of my favorite places.

Studying abroad for an entire semester was a very rewarding and trying experience. It has been a semester full of growth and change as I navigated an unfamiliar education system and lived on my own in a new city. Full of late-night study sessions to exploring new cities in languages I don’t understand. These last four months felt daunting and seemed too long at some points while simultaneously feeling as though it was only a few days, and I found myself wanting more time. This was the journey of a lifetime. One full of stories I will be telling my children and family about for many years to come.