ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

By Coldplay Emily Jennings

Travelling abroad does not seem like something STEM majors have time to do, what with all of the course requirements, research, and various other activities students have going on in their lives. Well I am here to tell you that that is 100% NOT true.

Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh Castle

Until the winter of 2015, I did not think I would get the chance to study abroad. Like many other STEM majors, I was trying to balance a lot at one time: research, academics, a leadership role, volunteering, four minors, and somehow also my health. Life was going well for the most part, but I felt like science was all I ever did. I decided it was time for a break. I needed to do something I had always wanted to do while I had the chance; so, I decided to study abroad for one semester.

One day I was walking around the fifth floor of Heritage Hall when I saw a flyer for a study abroad experience in Scotland. I knew I had to go, and for three main reasons: my ancestry, my favorite hobby, and my desire to visit the Isle of Skye.

Besides being the home of my ancestors, Scotland is also one of the best places to pursue my favorite hobby: history! I am absolutely a history fanatic, and UAB does not offer history courses in one of my favorite topics, British medieval history. When I read the lists of medieval history courses offered by universities in Scotland, I became super excited. I was finally presented with the opportunity to learn about and discuss my favorite topic with people who cared about that topic in the country responsible for that topic! What could possibly be cooler than that?!

Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland (I'm still amazed I actually took 
this picture. This just goes to show how beautiful Scotland really is)

The next steps were choosing the right program and preparing my application. The University of Stirling was my first-choice program two reasons. First, the program at Stirling is an exchange program, which means I paid the same tuition fees to study abroad as I would have paid to spend the semester at UAB. Second, Stirling is basically in the middle of Scotland and very accessible, making it easy to travel.

As for the actual process of applying for study abroad programs, it is very simple. All I had to do was create an account on the UAB Education Abroad website, fill out the requested documents, and meet with Ms. Megan Talpash to go over the other necessary steps. Once I was accepted to the University of Stirling, I began applying for study abroad scholarships. Once that was all done, I just had to wait for my departure date. On September 8, 2016, I flew to Scotland.

For the first month, I spent the weekends travelling, mostly within the bounds of Scotland. As someone who has travelled around continental Europe, I thought it was best that I got to know the country in which I was studying rather than trying to visit the rest of Europe; so, I went on adventures to Loch Ness, Inverness, Edinburgh, and the Shetland Islands to name a few. The greatest adventure of all of my trips was the weekend I spent on the Isle of Skye.

As I mentioned above, the Isle of Skye is one of the main reasons I chose to study in Scotland. A few years ago, I saw several pictures of the Isle of Skye on Pinterest. I was absolutely amazed at the stunning, rugged beauty portrayed and decided that I needed to visit such a magical-looking place. I spent my second weekend in Scotland driving and walking around the Isle of Skye, taking gorgeous pictures in the process. Those pictures serve as proof of the incredible scenery on the Isle of Skye, which is, in my opinion, the most beautiful place in the world. I encourage you all to visit some day.

Stirling, Scotland: Stirling Castle and adjoining graveyard

After a month of travelling around Scotland, I began to explore more of Stirling. I also became involved with the fencing club, one of the many athletics clubs at the University of Stirling. I had never fenced before but had always wanted to do so. With the encouragement of one of my flatmates (also a study abroad student), I became a fencer. Not only was the sport great fun, the people were so kind! Though I was a beginner, everyone in the fencing club was very encouraging and always willing to lend a helping hand, a common trend across the entire university.

Travelling and joining the fencing club were great experiences, but the most important part of my entire study abroad experience was the people I met. My flatmates, classmates, and the fencing club members were all wonderful people, and many of them have become some of my dearest friends. It was those wonderful people who made my entire study abroad experience so memorable and fun. There is no doubt that, while Scotland is stunningly beautiful and full of history and things to do, I would not have had the time of my life were it not for the people I met.

Uig, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Overall, my study abroad experience was absolutely incredible. There is no way it could have been any better than it was. I made new friends, picked up a new sport, indulged in one of my favorite hobbies, visited the land of my ancestors, and grew as a person. That last point is one of the biggest reasons why I think study abroad is such an invaluable experience: it helps you to learn more about yourself and grow as a person. Just generally travelling also helps one to learn about his- or herself, but, as someone who has travelled a lot, I strongly believe actually living somewhere helps you to grow in a different way because it is a different type of experience. No vacation or backpacking trip compares to actually living in a different country and culture.

I was asked to also comment in this article on whether or not my study abroad experience changed my undergraduate experience. I would like to say that it completely altered my undergraduate experience. Studying abroad led me to change part of my post-graduation plans.

Stirling, Scotland: At the top of Wallace Monument

Spending a semester away from science allowed me to step back and think hard about what I want to do with my life and what will make me happiest in the long run. A few months before leaving for Scotland, I decided to delay my medical school applications for one year in order to pursue a super cool master’s program in neuroscience. My experience abroad made me more comfortable with that decision and provided assurance that I am moving along the right career path. Living in Stirling specifically made me realize that I do not feel at home anywhere in the world as much as I do in Scotland; so, I will be moving back to Scotland after completing my master’s degree and only applying to medical schools in Scotland. This is a massive change from the ultra-organized and planned out person I was before studying abroad; but, in the end, life happens, people change, and things do not work out as they are planned, which is perfectly okay. It’s the unexpected events that make life so fun and worth living.

In conclusion (kudos to you folks who have made it this far), STEM majors can study abroad, and they should. I am a STEM major who studied abroad, and it was possible because I completed all but one of my major classes and most of my thesis before senior year. I had designated senior year as the time to complete all of my minors, but I decided that learning about physics, biology, and psychology are all things I can do later; you only get one chance to study abroad, and that is your university years. I could not pass up the opportunity, so I dropped three of my four minors and made the time to study abroad.

So, for all of you undergraduate students reading this article, my advice to you is this: study abroad, and while you’re at it, step out of your comfort zone, try things you’ve never done before, go on adventures, and don’t be afraid to make friends. It just might change your life! Also, if you’re going to study abroad, try mixing things up a bit. Don’t take all science classes. Take some classes that have to do with the culture of the area in which you are studying. It will definitely enhance your experience. Going along those same lines, even if you do not study abroad, don’t be afraid to pursue areas of interest outside of science just because you want to be a scientist or physician (or both). We all know that science is fun, challenging, interesting, and rewarding, but it is not the only part of life that matters. In order to really appreciate life and all that it has to offer, you need to do more than just science. Just like blue is the best color in the rainbow, but it’s not the only one; you have to look at all of the colors to appreciate a rainbow’s beauty.

If you're interested in finding out more information about study abroad, please check out the UAB Education Abroad website!

Isle of Skye, Scotland: The Cuillin (a mountain range in the south portion of the island)

Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

Glendale, Isle of Skye, Scotland: one of
four sets of rainbows I saw that day

Stanage Edge in the Peak District
 National Park in England

Stirling, Scotland: A walk up Dumyat
about 1 hour before sunset

Bigton, Shetland Islands: Beach to
St Ninian's Isle

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

Stirling, Scotland: The Beheading Stone
on Gowan Hill with Wallace Monument
in the background

Stirling, Scotland: The bell tower from
the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, where
King James III of Scotland is buried

University of Stirling: Dormitories
with Dumyat (the big hill that is
actually a part of a mountain range)
in the background

Glenfinnan, Scotland: Glenfinnan
Viaduct (where the Hogwarts Express
was filmed travelling to Hogwarts)

The Storr, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Sumburgh, Shetland Islands: an
Iron Age wheelhouse at Jarlshof,
an archaeological site dating
backto the Neolithic Period

Bakewell, England: Chatsworth House
(The family home of Henry Cavendish,
the guy who determined the composition
of water and recognized hydrogen as an
element; also the location where the 2005
version of Pride & Prejudice was filmed)

Glasgow, Scotland: Buchanan Street