Lucy Taylor

Host University: University of Oklahoma
Year of Study Abroad: 2010-11

Where did you live? Would you recommend it?

I lived on campus, it makes it a lot easier to get to classes as they are all within walking distance and it was very sociable.

Which department(s) did you study in?

Civil Engineering

How does the workload/classes/teaching styles vary to Sheffield?

The work load is spread thourghout the year as opposed to being concentrated on final exams. It means the work is continuous but less difficult and intensive than Sheffield in most cases.

What did you do for fun at the weekends and during the holidays?

I travelled a lot and stayed with American friends. I also had a lot of international student friends who I traveled with as that is what most of us were there for. It was great spending the holidays with Americans though as it is a great way to experience their culture. Christmas and Thanksgiving were both amazing.

Did you join any societies or clubs?

I played lacrosse for a little while as they don't have hockey (which is what I play in Sheffield), there sports teams are quite different I found. much more emphasis on the training!

Describe the University/City/things to do

It is a small campus town of which the University is the centre, Football games are the highlight of the week and it's something I would definitely recommend getting into. As long as you're willing to try anything you'll have the time of your life!!

Could you give any travel or immigration tips?

I came back with a lot of University apparell, I would leave plenty of room for that!

Could you give any advice or tips to a student preparing to go or tell them anything you wished you knew in advance?

It was much more of a culture shock than I had expected going to an English speaking country! The people there are incredibly friendly and welcoming and love the accent, milk it! Be prepared to answer lots of questions about home, they are genuinely interested.

Would you say it is cheaper or more expensive to live than Sheffield?

Definitely cheaper in terms of overall cost, insurance is quite a hit to the bank balance and with the traveling that I did I probably spent more but I wouldn't trade any part of my experience for anything.

Any other information or comments

It's probably a given that at some point you'll miss people and things from home but they're all still here when you come back so make the absolute most of every minute!