Student Experiences
See what some of our recent participants have to say about various aspects of their Queen Mary experience.
Stephanie Clemens, University of Mass, Boston
Angela Geiss, Illinois State University
Shekiaya Gowans, Spelman College
Berlin Liew, University of Melbourne, Australia
Caroline Malouse, Northeastern University
Christa Nemchick, University of California Santa Barbara
Mark Veikos, Wake Forest University
Kamille Williams, Spelman College
Stephanie Clemens, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Business Management Major
'Full Year 2011/12 Study Abroad Student & Transfer Student to BA Business Management, 2012
'After enrolling as a full year student during the 2011/12 academic year I enjoyed the experience so much that I made a successful application to transfer and complete the two remaining years of my degree at Queen Mary. In September 2012, subject to me successfully passing all the exams from my study abroad year I will be joining the BA Business Management degree.
My favourite thing about Queen Mary and London and one of the main reasons I chose to stay is the people; my flat mates are great, I’ve made many friends and met people from all over the world. It is a very social place and I love how everyone talks to each other. I’ve also travelled extensively and met some really inspiring people. In Italy I met a lady who had built up a successful business back home in the US and decided that she wanted to travel around the world, she was in a position to do so since the business was going well and she could afford it. You meet people and see the world from a different perspective.
There are some great neighbourhoods near campus and I am often at Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Hoxton. When I first arrived in London I tended to go to places in the west end of London, now I tend to stay more in this area.
I’m excited to finish my degree here and possibly stay in the UK to work after I graduate. Being a business major I think this experience has definitely helped me in terms of my career. Obviously London is a very international city and a world centre for business and the experience of living and studying here will be invaluable. I hope in the future to work in marketing/advertising.'
Angela Geiss, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois
Drama Major
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'The best thing about living in London is the amount of things to see and do. I was also surprised at how easy it is to travel around; the tube (underground) is great. The city was much bigger than I expected and I’ve found the people to be really friendly. My main reason for choosing the programme was the city location and the drama classes available.
I wanted to use my study abroad experience as an opportunity to fulfil my general education requirements so I am also taking classes in politics and geography. This has been slightly more challenging as obviously if you don’t have a background in these subjects you have to do a lot more reading around the subject to keep up, but I’ve enjoyed them and have been able to keep up. My drama classes in particular have been great as the professors are so interesting, drama is taught very differently in England and the professors have done such interesting things all over the world. I’ve enjoyed the change to what I am used to at home. In my experience all of the classes have been very welcoming to international students.
I joined the drama society at Queen Mary and have gotten to know people through the socials that they organise. I live with two US and five English flat mates so I’ve also gotten to know some of the people I live with. Classes keep me busy but I’ve also found time to travel around some parts of the UK and Europe; having so far travelled to Amsterdam and Scotland.'
Shekiaya Gowans, Spelman College, Georgia
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'My name is Shekiaya Gowans; I come from Michigan and study at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. I chose Queen Mary as I really wanted a campus type experience and wanted to feel part of a community while studying abroad. I also wanted to be in East London as it is still central but close enough to everything in London that I can often walk or catch the tube (underground) a few stops. This is important to me as I would rather be able to walk than take public transport everywhere. Walking allows you to get to know the city better, this helps when you have lots of visitors from home and you are expected to be their London tour guide.
I found out about Queen Mary through Arcadia which is a programme provider, students at Queen Mary can either come through a provider like Arcadia or enrol directly. I live with a mixture of British and international students; just by chance the other study abroad participant I live with is also from Spelman College.
I love living in London, have made many friends and have many fond memories. My friends and I often go out exploring different parts of the city; we go out shopping and go out for dinner. It is wonderful trying all of the different cuisines. My best memory so far was London fashion week where I won a Canon competition; I also got to meet some of the designers. My funniest memories are when my friends and I have asked local people for directions and pronounced the names of places wrongly. This has resulted in a lot of confusion on a few occasions, we always laugh when we find out how to say the names compared with how we were saying them!
In the future I hope to work in operations research or computer science. I think this experience will definitely help me as employers are looking for someone who is well travelled and has the skills needed to be independent and able to adapt to living abroad. I’ve enjoyed my time in London and am already thinking of how I might return in the future.'
Berlin Liew, University of Melbourne, Australia
Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications, Linguistics)
Spring Semester 2012, Study Abroad Exchange Student
'I originally found out about Queen Mary when I visited London on holiday two years ago. A friend was completing his degree here and he suggested that I go with him to have a look at his university. He gave me a tour around the place. It occurred to me then that Queen Mary could be a good place to study abroad. I really liked the fact that it had its own campus, unlike other London universities. I like studying in a self-contained area but one that was close to the city. Personally, I find campus universities a great way for fostering university spirit and making students feel like they’re a part of a community. I could tell from my visit that Queen Mary definitely had that sense of unity. Upon my return to Melbourne I discovered that my university did indeed have an exchange affiliation with Queen Mary, so I knew it was meant to be!
This experience has allowed me to grow both personally and academically. I found that going on exchange for a few months is like embarking on a mini self-discovery journey. I learned how to appreciate being in my own company, I learned how much my family means to me, I learned not to sweat the small stuff, and the list goes on. Not only did I learn things about myself, but I learned a lot about the world. I made friends with people from different countries, and talking to them was like a never-ending general knowledge lesson; I didn’t know people speak Greek in Cyprus or that many Austrians don’t know ‘The Sound of Music’. Learning about others made me a more humble and appreciative person. Academically, I’ve been challenged to think differently and argue my points more critically after taking some of the linguistics modules offered by Queen Mary. I knew from my research that the university is ranked highly for its linguistics faculty and unsurprisingly, they did not disappoint. Queen Mary had a huge range of linguistics classes on offer, some of which weren’t even offered back at my home institution.
I have many fond memories of London, but I’d say one of them was experiencing New Year’s Eve by the Thames, watching the fireworks with my best friend from home, along with 250,000 other people. It was eleven minutes of non-stop fireworks and I remember thinking how lucky I was to be watching one of the most famous New Year displays in the world. Another warm memory was on the night it snowed in London this past winter. Having grown up in Malaysia, and now based in Australia, I rarely ever see snow. So when it did, my friends and I couldn’t control ourselves. We ran out to the main residential courtyard (without any proper winter gear) and had a spontaneous mass snowball fight. It was like living the childhood memory I never had!
Before I came to London, I had a few expectations in mind about England and its people – some of which were proven true, many of them were false. For instance, I always thought the Cockney accent was the standard British accent. It turns out that wasn’t true as there are all sorts of British accents! As a linguistics student, this blew my mind. I also thought it would rain all the time, but it has in fact been dry all year round. However, I was glad to find that many Brits actually do love their tea and scones. At least one assumption was spot on!
On the whole, this experience has made me more ambitious in terms of what I want to do in the future; through the places I’ve seen and the people I’ve met, I know I want to have more international experiences just like this one.'
Caroline Malouse, Northeastern University, Massachusetts
Linguistics Major
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'I chose to apply to Queen Mary for two main reasons: Queen Mary has an excellent linguistics programme, which I learned about through my home school. I was also lucky enough to meet Queen Mary staff at my school during a campus visit, and I was very impressed by QM’s study abroad office. The Linguistics Department at Queen Mary is much larger than at my home school, so I was eager to be exposed to even more Linguistics students and professors.
My other reason was the prime location in London. I wanted a large city in an English-speaking country, and London is close to Europe for travel opportunities. What I love about London is the sense of history, the impressive museums, (many of which are free) and generally how easy it is to get around; the public transport system is efficient and easy to use.
I’ve really enjoyed my classes and have met some amazing staff; one of my lecturers is a final-year PhD student at SOAS, and he teaches Phonology at QM. His upbringing was eclectic and he’s well-travelled, so he has a very interesting viewpoint about the world and about academics. He even spent time in Cambridge working directly with a language aphasic, which is a person who has lost their ability to use language due to medical trauma. Hearing about that really brought Linguistics to life for me.
A typical week for me is classes in the mornings four days per week and study in the afternoons. I’m lucky as I have a four-day week so I have plenty of time to explore London. I like to see the iconic landmarks like Big Ben and Tower Bridge, but I like to do them after visiting a museum, gallery, or restaurant nearby and make a day of it. I’ve also taken up a new sport, indoor bouldering, which is a type of rock climbing and seems to be very popular in London. I also enjoy getting to know my flat mates and their friends.
Overall I’ve had a great experience and have learned a lot about myself. Even though technically we speak the same language, social interaction is different here. Even though I was warned about it, I was surprised to experience some culture shock. I definitely think that the skills I’ve learned in adapting to living abroad will help in the future; and I’ve been able to make many personal and academic connections here, so I believe the experience will be useful for my future career.'
Christa Nemchick, University of California Santa Barbara, California
Global Studies Major
Full year 2011/12 Study Abroad Student
'I found out about Queen Mary from the University of California as they have a reciprocal exchange with Queen Mary which allows students to study abroad for a full academic year. At the moment I am studying my second semester and have really enjoyed the experience. I come from a small town in Northern California originally and study in Santa Barbara so obviously living in London is very different from anything I have experienced before. I really wanted an urban setting to experience city life and see what it is like to live in a multicultural world city. As I am a global studies major the location and classes would also be very complimentary to my studies in the US. Basically I was looking for an adventure!
Since I am from somewhere so different the campus setting was important as coming to live in London was a little daunting. I have not been disappointed as the campus is close to lots of interesting and historical places. You are never bored, there are plenty of things to do; I often make a list of things I want to do and see, then check them off once I’ve done them. There are many clubs and societies so it is a very social place. I am heavily involved in the Christian Union and even lead a Bible study which means I am kept very busy. I’ve made friends from all over the world and have gotten to know my British flat mates as well; you do not get this opportunity back on my home campus. In fact, my favourite part of studying abroad is meeting so many people of such diverse backgrounds.
I’ve had the opportunity to do lots of travel while here, both in the UK and Europe. At the time of writing this profile I am about to do a weekend trip to Belgium as part of a World War One English literature class. I’ve really enjoyed this class in particular as the professor has been very inspiring. Studying abroad has definitely inspired me to seek more international experience in the future, hopefully as part of my career. My next international adventure will be working with orphanages in Mexico.'
Diana Sunder, Colby College, Maine
English Major and Theatre & Dance Minor
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'I am an English major with a creative writing concentration and a Theatre & Dance minor at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Given my major, England was the natural choice for me as a study abroad destination; I am passionate about theatre and wanted a city where I could take classes related to both my interests. Of course London is world famous for theatre so this was an important consideration. I’ve been to the theatre many times as part of my Reading Theatre class and also in my spare time. I’m lucky enough to actually get credit for going to see shows!
I really enjoy my classes; I am quite lucky because in addition to the theatre class some of my other classes have field trips as well, which allows me to see different parts of London. I also study a class which has frequent museum visits.
I chose Queen Mary to study abroad for a number of reasons; firstly I wanted to be close to everything, and through my research of other programmes I learned that many other universities in London had off campus housing with sometimes long commutes between housing and classes. As this was my first time in London the campus setting was important to me. I study at a small town in Maine so having the safety and security of a campus was reassuring. With the location in East London you are just a five minute walk to two underground stations. This means you have access to the entire city, you can explore as much as your energy levels can keep up with!
My other main reason for choosing Queen Mary was that the English department allows study abroad students who are English majors to take upper division English classes. There was more of a restriction at some of the other universities I looked at regarding what you could take.
I like living in the east end as you are not right in the middle of London, (but close enough). This means it is a bit cheaper. There are many street markets where you can buy groceries cheaply; I’ve learned to cook while I’ve been over here and have enjoyed it as I rarely cook at home. I also love how multicultural this part of London is. My favourite things to do include going to the theatre of course but also choosing interesting things to see and do around the area and going off to explore, either by myself or with friends.
It is easy to meet people as you live with full degree students and usually one or two other study abroad students. I have three British flat mates who I have become friends with. You can easily get to know other study abroad students, students in your classes and the people who you live with. I also got to know people through waiting for the arrival shuttle to campus on the first day and through the arrival orientation.'
Mark Veikos, Wake Forest University, North Carolina
Mathematics and Computer Science Major
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'This is my first time in England, though I have previously travelled to Italy and Greece so it is not my first time abroad. I chose the Queen Mary programme as it was recommended by my home school. I also wanted to be in a location where there are lots of things to do, lots of cultural activities and somewhere where it is easy to get around. Queen Mary was a good option as you have the campus and the academics are good.
An important consideration for me was the campus proximity to the site of the 2012 London Olympics. The campus is less than a mile from the main stadium and many of the venues. I am passionate about sport so really wanted to get involved during the run up to the games; I am involved in ‘London Prepared’ events which mean I get to visit and test many of the venues before the Olympic Games start during the summer. My favourite has been the aquatic centre! I’ve continued with my sport and fitness while in London, being part of the track & field team and basketball league. I’m also part of the ‘get active’ programme on campus.
The course offerings at Queen Mary are quite flexible; you study four classes per semester and these can be in different academic departments. Therefore you can take major courses only or electives, or a mixture. I am quite unusual in that I study in four academic departments: political science, economics, computer science and mathematics. In the UK in general you will find that there is slightly less time spent in class and less continuous assessment than what you are used to in the US. This means it is a bit more on you to keep up with the work; you have to be a bit more independent. It is a different system but you get used to it.
A typical week for me would be classes every day except Wednesday. Therefore on Wednesday and weekends my friends and I go out and see places, we do lots of walking and often explore museums and historic sites. Each weekend we try to go to a market. My favourite experience so far has been experiencing Chinese New Year in Trafalgar Square with my friends and meeting new people there as well. I’ve done some trips to Europe including skiing in the French Alps, Switzerland and the Netherlands. I’ve also explored other parts of the UK and visited Wales, Bath and Oxford.'
Kamille Williams, Spelman College, Georgia
Chemistry Major
Spring 2012 Study Abroad Student
'Queen Mary was recommended to me by the Arcadia study abroad programme who work with my home school; Spelman College in Atlanta. The programme appealed to me as I was seeking somewhere diverse and very different to what I am used to, since my college is an all female Historically Black College and University. Queen Mary has a huge overseas population and more equal male/female ratio so you get to meet students from all over the world. The classes in particular are really interesting due to the level of diversity; as well as many international students there are lots of characters who are not scared to be themselves or be alternative. For example lots of different coloured hairstyles and fashion sense. This is the part I really enjoy the most.
Besides classes, I keep myself busy with a research fellowship in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. I work alongside others in creating polymers that will be capable of detecting toxins. My schedule consists of classes in the mornings Monday through Wednesday and research on Thursday and Friday. During the evenings, I go to the park, study for my classes, and socialize with friends. On the weekends, I venture out and enjoy London with my friends. I particularly like to explore the museums and markets.
Queen Mary allows you to study in other departments besides your major so in addition to my chemistry classes and research I am taking a drama class and a linguistics class, (digital literacy in intercultural communication). Both are really interesting, though it took some getting used to when taking such different subjects to my major.
I’ve really enjoyed my time here, I always thought London would be quite snobbish but people are really friendly. This helps a lot as I am often lost and asking for directions! There is obviously a lot to do as well so you are never bored. In this area I particularly like Brick Lane and Canary Wharf. I’ve met many people through my classes, plus I am a member of the street dance society so it is a very social place.
My advice to prospective students is that studying abroad has been the best experience ever, so you should just go for it!'
Student Video Interviews
