I was not scared of living by myself or studying in a foreign country since I was already an international student at King’s College London. I moved to London from France when I was 17, and it took me a while but after a year I felt comfortable living in a different country than my parents. Therefore, I was not dreading living by myself in the US, but was anxious about meeting new people and attending a new school.
When I landed in Philly in January, it did not feel real. I felt like I was in a simulation, and I am not going to lie, it felt like that for the entire semester. I was able to talk with my roommate beforehand, which made me less nervous, as when I got to campus, she was there waiting for me. UPenn is divided into different dorms, and I was staying in the newest one called Gutmann, which was absolutely amazing. I was lucky enough to get my own room and became close friends with my roommate.
Talking more about facilities, I loved the buildings on campus. It felt like a forest in the middle of a city: the libraries were beautiful and Locust Walk, which was the path to go through campus, was enjoyable to cross to go to class. I was able to take four classes there as part of my requirement with my home university and it was quite flexible. One thing I love about American universities is that you have a week to try out different classes and then either enroll or drop out of them. The classes were so interesting and I had amazing professors. Yes, the workload was heavy and yes, I had to study a lot even though you think that a semester abroad is only about partying and travelling. I did choose UPenn because it is an Ivy League, so I did not mind the work. I would spend hours in the evening in Van Pelt library with friends to study, but at least we were all in it together!
I was able to attend basketball games as it was the season, and my roommate who I became close with was on the team. The vibes of the games were immaculate, exactly like you see in movies. Another part of the American college experience is Greek life. Before going to Penn I thought that it was a myth, but let me tell you, boy was it true. We went to a few frat parties and day parties which was new for me, but also to the sports bar where every sports team would go on Wednesdays for Sink or Swim.
I met amazing people, from Australians, to Irish, to French, to Spanish. We created beautiful and life lasting memories. I was able to travel with the friends I made to NYC and DC as they both are close to Philadelphia, but also explored Philly itself. One thing I was a bit disappointed about was the city itself. While you were on campus it felt safe, but the second you would put a foot outside of it, it was quite dodgy. However, there are still cool things to do in Philly: I went to a baseball game, ice skating, art museums, Rocky steps, and more.
Another thing to take into account when you do a semester abroad is that it feels like a simulation because you are constantly with people. Because we had to eat at dining halls and were living in dorms, I was never alone which could be slightly overwhelming sometimes, as when I am in London I am mostly by myself. It is a question of finding the perfect balance!
Spring Break is a huge part of college in the US. We had a week off in March and decided to book a trip as everyone leaves campus at that time to go to a warmer place. We chose to go to Charleston, in South Carolina, and it was a blast! It was really nice to get out of campus for a few days, and just discover a totally different place. We were staying near the beach, and Charleston was such a cute city. We had an amazing girls’ trip and it definitely brought us closer together.
If you have to remember one thing from this article, it is that if you are unsure of where to go and have UPenn as an option, please apply! When I got into Penn I was really unsure of going, but am so glad I did. Having the opportunity to experience college in the USA, even for one semester, was the best thing that happened to me. Yes, I do miss it now that I am back in London but it is also the fact that it is only temporary that makes it even better! Go Quakers!