I am involved in many extracurriculars on campus like drumline, chambers/choir, percussion ensemble, criminal justice organisation, knit and crochet club, and more. Although I have enjoyed my time at Illinois College, I have always been interested in traveling since I was a wee kindergartener. Through the great influence of my college advisors, my mother, and the Irish American Scholars program, I began looking into studying abroad. The option that intrigued me was University of Ulster in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I had never thought about living abroad before, but having this opportunitity available to me was exciting! This is why I decided to study abroad, to get out of my comfort zone, learn more about different cultures, meet new people, and experience college life in a different university and country.
I arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in mid-January and actually had my 21st birthday here, and I will be leaving around mid-June. So far, it has been incredible! It is beautiful, the people are so kind, the history in Ireland is unique, and although the trip here was long (an 8-hour flight), it was worth it. The flight went really well, it was not hard or too stressful to find my way around the airport alone. I enjoyed some really good airplane food, but also airport food while waiting for connecting flights. I have to admit the hardest part was leaving my family at the airport, and although I have missed them greatly on this trip, calling and messaging has been very useful. What has helped me stay positive is being reminded that throughout these past few months, I have been able to experience something I never would have believed was possible at your age.
