Arcadia Scotland

As a business major at Skidmore College, I’ve always been interested in understanding how organizations operate and influence society, or more specifically, the consumers. Originally, I was drawn to anthropology because of a similar fascination with human cultures and behaviors, which is also why studying abroad has been so interesting to me. Eventually, I settled on Marketing as I feel that it best covered my wide range of interests in a more concise way, allowing me to focus on how brands shape perceptions, influence choices, and reflect cultural values. When I went abroad, I was able to see the differences in marketing in two different countries with differing cultures. 

For these reasons, it made the most sense for me to go abroad to London as I wanted to immerse myself in a bustling international city that would not only allow me to experience a new culture but also allow me to see numerous others through my travels across Europe. The University of Westminster specifically stood out to me because of its strong programs in both my Business major and English minor. During my time abroad, I took many classes that both expanded my academic knowledge and complemented my educational goals. 

The three classes I ended up taking were called Objects and Meaning: The Social Life of Material Culture, London Stories: Creative Writing, and a business class called The Power of Brands. Each class gave me a new understanding of the world. My Objects and Meaning class discussed the ownership rights of various items and cultural artifacts, which was especially interesting to learn about in London, with its vast number of museums throughout the city. The creative writing class also focused on my writing using London-related prompts. Additionally, I took Power of Brands, a marketing class where we conducted a brand audit and discussed how marketing influences consumer behavior and societal perceptions. All these classes were distinctly important in understanding London culture as well as the academic structure and expectations of colleges in the U.K.

In general, the schedule of the classes was quite similar to how we structure them here in America. Most classes followed a format of lectures in combination with seminars, so that way we could have both traditional presentation-style classes and more individualized discussion-based classes. The coursework for these classes included both group projects and individual papers, which I am already very familiar with as a Business student at Skidmore College. These similarities allowed me to more easily adjust to this new academic environment since the general expectations and assignments felt familiar. 

However, it is important to be aware that there are some differences that make studying in London quite unique. While the general idea of lectures and seminars was the same, the actual week-by-week schedule was very different from what I was used to. Classes in the UK typically only meet once a week and last for 2 to 3 hours. This meant I had a lot more unstructured free time, which was both exciting and challenging. The extra flexibility allowed me to explore London and travel Europe, but it also required me to be proactive about managing my time when I wasn’t in class so that the material wouldn’t get away from me. I also found it hard to sit in one class for that many hours as I wasn’t used to doing one subject for that long. However, most professors usually gave us a 10 to 15-minute break in the middle of class, which did help some. Overall, these differences pushed me to become more self-reliant and adaptive as I was forced to balance coursework, travel plans, and downtime throughout my stay in London. 

Adjusting to this different academic rhythm was definitely a challenge but as previously stated it was also a period of great growth for me. The independence I gained from managing my own schedule forced me to become more organized and self-reliant. Traveling and exploring a new city while keeping up with my coursework pushed me to develop better time management skills that I will now carry with me into my adult life. Overall, studying in London was a very beneficial experience that allowed me to realize my fullest potential. I returned home not only with new knowledge and skills but also with greater confidence in my ability to adapt and thrive in unfamiliar environments. My time abroad taught me that stepping outside of my comfort zone is a necessary part of life because how can one grow while sitting still?