a little self-evaluation...and congratulation

I just got back from a lunch meeting with seven other study abroad students and the dean of the faculty of humanities and social sciences at Queen Mary.  Basically, it was a focus group about the experience of studying abroad, and what the departments can do about improving the experience for international students.  Also, it was free lunch and 20 quid just for chatting for two hours!

Anyway, I was amazed at how many problems/complaints most of the other students had about their time here.  The process for turning in assignments is too complex, they couldn't find their building when they arrived on campus, room numbers are confusing, the cleaners are inconsiderate, they had no idea how the grading system worked and consequently freaked out when they got a 65 on their first assignment, it took forever to get their schedule finalized, they didn't know they even had an advisor, the study abroad coordinator is kind of rude, etc. etc.

Luckily, I could not relate to most of what was being said.  My schedule for the entire year was finalized well before I arrived in London, my advisor here is amazing...sure, I've gotten lost numerous times in numerous buildings, been late to a few of my classes, stumbled in to a few wrong classrooms, gotten chastized by the cleaner for putting a dirty coffee cup in the sink while she was trying to clean, and been subject to (and of) the study abroad coordinator's dry sense of humour, but those are all things which make up my experience here at Queen Mary.  These are things which round out my time here, which make it real.  These are things which could happen, and probably do happen, to first-year students at any institution.  It's part of being in a new environment.  It's part of learning.  Don't expect to walk right into a new school in a new country and be handed everything you need to know in a little welcome packet (although never underestimate the value of the information provided in a welcome packet!).  Sometimes you just need to get lost in order to figure out where you're going.

People also kept complaining about how little information they had coming into Queen Mary about classes, and advisors, and housing, grading, etc.  When asked what information they were given about the school prior to coming here, there were shoulder shrugs wide eyes.  I said, "I got on to Queen Mary's website and ordered a free prospectus.  You guys mailed it to me within a couple weeks."  No one else had bothered to do that.  One girl complained extensively about not being able to find the English department's assignment cover sheet.  I told her how to access it.  So many little problems, so many easy dilemmas.  These are things which students should be able to figure out on their own, or at least be able to figure out who to talk to about them.  If someone is motivated enough to come study at a rigorous university in a different country, they should be motivated enough to deal with the little things that will inevitably be thrown their way.

Maybe I've always been relatively self reliant, or at least self motivated.  If I wasn't before coming to London, I definitely am now, at least to a greater degree.  I know there is something to be said for planning ahead, for knowing as much about a different path your life is taking before embarking upon that path.  But maybe it's even more valuable to be able to take things as they come--if there's a rock in your path, don't just stand there and gape at it: jump over the damn thing!  Well, I guess the purpose of this focus group was to remove the rocks altogether, though I felt like everyone just talked pebbles.  And who wants a completely smooth path, anyway?  Okay, enough with the metaphorizing. 

I came away knowing I'd made the right decision to come here through EuroLearn.  None of the other students used that program, and I think I owe a lot of my pre-departure preparation and know-how to them.  They made sure I was registered for classes, and knew about the different grading scale, and knew where to go and what to bring.  But I think I owe myself some credit, as well.