Alyssa Hollingsworth's Blog

Sometimes it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit in Georgia because the weather refuses to dip below 50°F. Add to that the looming threat of papers and finals, and at times the glory of home cooked food and a break is almost snuffed out. That’s why I always love participating in Christmas traditions at Berry.

For me, it always starts with the lights at the Oak Hill & Martha Berry Museum (Candles and Carols). Wandering the museum with carolers singing in the distance is very peaceful. My favorite exhibit was a few years ago, when they showcased all of the Berry Christmas cards over the years. (The ones in the 80’s were special, let me tell you!) My friends and I then set out up the illuminated driveway to Martha Berry’s old house (which, by the by, is in Sweet Home Alabama). The rooms are lovely, and most years they have the gardens covered in Christmas lights, too. It’s a lovely break from the craziness of the last few weeks of classes.

One tradition my friend, Anna, and I have is to go see a show at Shakespeare’s Tavern in Atlanta every semester. This term we were running a little late, so we caught a production of A Christmas Carol (which, if you didn’t know, wasn’t written by Shakespeare). We had a lovely time.

My roommate, Kyley, and I have another unique tradition. We go out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and exchange gifts. Then we go back to the room, open a bottle of Apple Bubbly, and watch Jimmy Stewart’s The Shop Around the Corner.

This year, Kyley and I also went to see Berry College Theatre Company’s annual Christmas play. This semester it was Uh Oh, Her Comes Christmas, a charming and funny look at Christmas craziness. In the spirit of the season, the play was free with any donation for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

There were many gifts exchanged at work. One of my favorites was a package full of mustache items (including mustache duct tape). The student workers bonded together to Photoshop pictures of coworkers onto classic Christmas characters (like Elf and Rudolph) and then put these terrifying creations all over one supervisor’s desk. Nothing says holiday cheer quite like that.

So though I’m still wearing short sleeves, writing essays to the sounds of a downpour, and thinking wistfully of the cold weather in winters past, I feel like Christmas has already come.

Merry Christmas, and God bless us everyone.

This week was Fall Break for Berry students, which means we had Monday and Tuesday off. Now, most students go home and enjoy a relaxing time with their families. But since my parents are in VA, I normally stick around campus and just chill. You may be surprised by how many geeky fun things you can get up to!

My Fall Break began with me cleaning my townhouse bathroom from top to bottom. I also washed ALL the laundry… Ah, the joys of adulthood!

Now, my creative writing professor had happened to mention that I might take a look at Rick Riordan’s Mark of Athena and get a few ideas about character voice. Logically I decided to spend my Friday evening attacking the book with multicolor pens and then typing up an analysis of my findings (which, if you are an awesome geek like me, you can find here). This was the perfect, relaxing start to my Fall Break—and I am totally sincere! You can ask my housemate (who is also out-of-state and stayed on campus)… I’m sure she’ll be glad to tell you about my enthusiasm.

On Saturday, I split my time between reading more Rick Riordan books (for “research”) and rewriting the beginning of my own novel-in-progress for my class. I went out to dinner with a Berry student I mentor, which was delightful. My housemate joined me in the evening for an epic marathon of the period drama Little Dorrit.

Sunday happened to be my 22^nd birthday! I went out to dinner with my housemate and afterwards we loitered in Barnes and Noble for quite some time. Then we ran back to the townhouse to watch Once Upon a Time. We did a live chat with our friends who were out of town. Since there’s about nine in our group of viewers, we’ve dubbed ourselves the Fellowship of OuaT. I’m the designated Sam, because I’m the token Hufflepuff of the group. So I got appropriate props for the episode:

Monday and Tuesday were filled with period drama marathons and hammocking and reading Shakespeare and writing.

Overall, it was an incredibly relaxing break. Now, if only every weekend were four days long…

So there you have it! Fun at Berry over Fall Break.

Mountain Day is a yearly tradition at Berry College. It's sort of a combined birthday party for Martha Berry, homecoming celebration and alumni reunion. Needless to say, it's pretty special.

The celebration begins on Friday afternoon, when students go back to their dorms and prepare for the Mountain Day Olympics. My (alternative) housing had the theme "zombies" this year. Since I hate zombies, my friends and I decided to be zombie hunters. I ran back after my last class on Friday, threw on some leggings, boots, and a hardcore jacket. I made a messy side braid and even did a make-up bruise over my left eye. I met up with my friends amidst a horde of gathering zombies.

Once all the people were assembled, we went down to the main road on campus. We lined the sidewalks and watched as the dorms showed off their themes.

Some memorable ones included: Deerapocalypse ("7:1 - The odds were never in our favor"), Hunger Games (faculty/staff team), and Adventurers (Ford girls). But my favorite was the Dana/Thomas Berry theme: Braveheart. The students dressed up in homemade kilts, painted their faces blue and charged out onto the road shouting. They were followed by a drummer and a boy playing the bagpipe. Behind this procession was a king and his armed guard. I was duly impressed.

After all the teams were assembled, we marched down to the library lawn for the events. There was a ceremonial lighting of the torch, a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, and the games began! I was too short to see much, but I'm told it was a fiery competition. Some might even say that the faculty/staff had a girl on fire! (Ha ha, Hunger Games joke...)

I had to leave before the end of the games to meet my family, who were coming into town. I didn't wash the bruise off my face because I was rather proud of it. I had to stop to pick up a book at Barnes and Noble and a flower at Kroger, and I tried to act as unabused as possible. However, I know I started the hotel clerk, if no one else. I met my family at the hotel. My parents and siblings had come down from VA, and my grandparents were up from FL. It was a fun reunion, and there was much rejoicing.

On Saturday, we began our trek to Berry rather early. We swung by the townhouse to pick up my roommate, Kyley, and then set out for Mountain Campus and the grand march. The tradition of the grand march is a little foggy in my memory, but it goes something like this: One year, Berry students wanted to show Martha their gratitude, so they held hands and marched up and down a large hill and put gifts down in front of her at the base of the hill. Apparently, this was such an inspirational thing that it's an annual tradition.

Kyley and I had been practicing this year. I remember during my sophomore march, I started having an asthma attack, and since my arthritis makes my ankles weak and my heart is rather prone to palpitations I was determined to make this year as enjoyable as possible. Especially because this year I was going to get to hold a boy's hand (gasp!). Because Berry has a high number of girls at present, normally the seniors and a few lucky juniors get to actually hold hands with a boy.

Kyley, my other friends and I all lined up with our class. We started walking  down the hill, where we dropped pennies in a basket to represent our gifts. Then it was back up the hill. At the top, we joined hands with other students, then turned and went back down. This continued until there were sixteen students in each row. When we got to the bottom the last time, we all sang the alma mater together (some more on key than others). It was very fun--even if the tradition is a little weird.

After this, my grandmother, mom, sister and I went to Oak Hill, Martha Berry's house. We explored the grounds quite a bit, though we ran out of time to see the museum. My grandmother loved every minute.

The following morning, my folks hit the road. Overall, it was a fantastic last Mountain Day (as a student).

On Friday night I took a stroll back to the 1920's at Res Life's Great Gatsby Gala. (There were no pools around, so no real danger there.)

Beforehand, I had acquired a dress, pantyhose, headband and feather--everything a girl needs to be a flapper (boys have it easier--they just bought suspenders). My friends and I wanted to get some pictures before the sunset, so I started getting ready at about 4:30.

This went off fabulously and we got some lovely pictures all around. Between that and the Gala, my friend Erika (middle) was playing at an open mic event in one of the residence halls. We went to that, and it was delightful, and full of much music and pastries. Then we hung out in Kaitlyn's flat/Centennial while I continued editing pictures and we waited for 11:00.

At long last, 11:00 came. The gala was on Graduation Lawn (I think that's what we're calling it?), in front of Evans Hall, our humanities building. They'd strung up white lights all around, and it was very beautiful. They had a trolley making rounds to pick up and drop off people. Fun swing music played loud enough for people to dance to.

Most of the evening consisted of hanging out with my friends. At one point I found a guy I know and made him teach me some swing moves. It was a lot of fun, and very classy. I had intended to only stay an hour (I don't stay up late normally), but I ended up staying the whole time because it was so nice.

So now I can say that I went to a 1920's dance party. And there wasn't even a body in a pool! (<-Gatsby reference.)

You may or may not have gathered this yet, but an important aspect of Berry is the education of the “head, heart and hands.” Part of the education of the hands is the opportunity for every student who comes to Berry to hold a job on-campus. It’s not required for students to work, but it’s really encouraged and—I’d say—really beneficial.

During my four years at Berry, I’ve held a variety of jobs. I thought I’d talk briefly about them to give you all an idea of the broad spectrum of opportunities!

Student Worker at Enrollment Management – This was my first job. I worked between the Financial Aid, Admissions and Enrollment Management offices on campus. This was really interesting because I got to see how the different offices worked together to ensure prospective and current students had a smooth college experience.

Ramifications Staff Member/Editor – Ramifications is our student art and literary magazine. We publish one issue a semester that’s full of student and faculty’s prose, poetry, art and photography. I’ve been working in this magazine since my freshman year. As a staff member, I’d help select content and then I would use Adobe’s InDesign program to place the material into the magazine. I’m now the editor of the magazine, which means I do that plus I work heavily in promotion for submissions and management of the staff.

English Department Assistant – In this job, I worked with professors to prepare material and transcribe research. I really liked this job because I could interact with my professors outside of class, which helped me get to know them better.

Student Designer for Creative Services – In this job, I worked under the wonderful graphic designers in Creative Services. I designed promotional material and various campaign pieces for Berry. This included posters you can see in every classroom with college policies on them, posters admissions counselors take to schools when they go to college fairs, and various other pieces for departmental events. I learned how to use PhotoShop, InDesign and Illustrator in this job, as well as basics in marketing and design that have been invaluable.

Student Writer/Supervisor for Public Relations – From Creative Services, I was stolen into the Public Relations office as a student writer. I write press releases, work on big projects, and help organize our Shatto Lecture event in the spring. I’m now the student supervisor, which means I get to oversee the other student workers in the office. I also dabble in photography for the staff photographer when there’s an event he needs me for.

Editorial Assistant/Supervisor for Philanthropic Communications – In this job, I write pieces with a more creative lean for the Honor Roll of Donors and for the Alumni Magazine. It’s pretty awesome to be an undergraduate who’s published! I love this job because I get to look for students with awesome stories and then write about them. I’m the supervisor in this job now, which means I’m training a student to take my job after I graduate.

Those are my jobs, for the most part! I’m so grateful for all the experience I’m getting before I even graduate. Another aspect of student work that I think is so valuable is learning how to work hard in every area of your life. For instance, I could leave class, walk to my office and then be contacting that professor about a press release. I needed to have a good reputation in my class in order to maintain a good reputation at work. It has been a level of accountability that has really helped me flourish.

These aren’t the only jobs there are, either! Other on-campus jobs include:

• Worker at the Child Development Center (an on-campus preschool)
• Weaver at the Viking Creations Student Enterprise
• Photographer for Public Relations
• Research assistant for a professor
• Planner with KCAB (the awesome people who plan fun events for evenings and weekends)
• Dairy worker
• Chemistry assistant
• Accountant
• Tour guide for Admissions

… And a ton more than that! Whatever your interests are, there’s a job on campus that will help you grow in experience.

When I first came to Berry College, I was looking for a bit of magic. For me, this can always be found in the small moments—the times that are unique because they are ordinary. Like…

5. Berry in the rain. Now, I’m not saying the rain doesn’t get old. But there is something beautiful about Berry in the rain. Especially when a good Southern thunderstorm is rolling in from the mountain, and you can see it coming across the fields, but you’re safe inside your dorm by the time it hits.

4. Sitting in a hammock reading. There are hammocks hanging all around campus for student use. I love taking my literature reading out there and snuggling up with my books. It’s like a cocoon of studying, and the fresh air is always relaxing.

3. Kilpatrick Commons. I’ve mention this before, but I love to go sit by Kilpatrick Commons. I first took this opportunity during a crazy week in my sophomore year. I had an essay to write, but instead of cramming and forcing myself, I took a tea and some fruit to Kilpatrick Commons and I just sat perfectly still, listening to the water, for well over a half hour. It is a wonderful place to go shut down and just listen. I find that work comes easier after that.

2. Fog in the morning. The fog at Berry can be very heavy in the mornings. I’ve never ceased to find it beautiful, especially when the light begins to filter down and everything turns gold.

1. Audrey Morgan Hall at sunset. I have so many happy memories of sitting outside the Jewel Box at Audrey Morgan Hall. Relaxing on the stone porch, warmed from a day in the sun, and watching a distant thunderstorm full of lightning, or sitting in one of the rocking chairs and enjoying the deer and the sunset—these are just some of the reasons this is a special spot.

The best part is that everyone has different magical places on the campus. I’m sure there’s one for you.  

1. Don’t go home the first weekend. 

At Berry, there’s a big emphasis on keeping students on campus the first weekend. It’s packed full of events and activities. But still—don’t go home that weekend. This is the beginning of your college career, and it’s very easy to make new habits. A lot of students who go home that first weekend end up going home every weekend, and this will keep you from feeling at home at school.

2. Don’t go home frequently throughout the first or second semester. 

Same as the above, a bit. But I’d like to add that during the first and second semester, every time you go home or see your old family/friends, it will hurt. It will trigger that homesickness again. Better to enjoy Berry, strengthen your connections with your new friends, and keep putting down roots where you’re at.

3. Bring bits of home with you. 

Take special items with you to school. Pictures of friends, souvenirs and mementos, letters, favorite books and stuffed animals are all good things to bring. I have a wall of corkboard near my desk where I pin up some of my favorite letters and postcards, so whenever I get discouraged I can go read some lines from a loved one.

4. Find things that you like about Berry every day. 

Discovery is a big part of making a place your own. Find the nooks that you love at Berry or in Rome, and make those your places. For me, there’s a place by the Kilpatrick Commons' waterfall that I like to go to write essays. Or a local coffee shop in Rome where I like to do my reading. By finding these new places, you not only challenge yourself to focus away from nostalgia, you also can appreciate the good things about your new home.

5. Make friends and connections. 

Don’t hole up in your room and mope. Go to dinner with acquaintances and work at becoming friends. If you’re religious, find somewhere you can connect and start going regularly. Volunteer, work on campus, talk to people outside of class. The more people you know, recognize, and invest in, the less time you’ll have to feel friendless and alone.  

Before you know it, Berry will be your new home! By now, even my mom says "your home" when she means Berry.

I have moved 15 times in my life, and 11* of those times have been during my college career. Seeing as the freshmen will be arriving very soon, I thought I'd offer some of my sage moving wisdom! 

These things will make your life easier:

1. Make a list. Before you move, especially if you’re moving to college, make a list of all the stuff you’ll need.
2. Know what you’ll need access to and what you’ll sort of need access to, then pack accordingly. For instance: Don’t pack your office supplies with your winter coats. If you know you won’t be needing those coats for a few months, pack them so you can store them in your room. That’s one box “unpacked” already!
3. This is your new home—select stuff accordingly! Sure, you might not need your stuffed horsie. But if seeing it on your bed when you come into your room will make the dorm feel like home, you bring that fluffy companion along!
4. Pack it all fast. Don’t leave stuff out for weeks and weeks. Set a number of days, sit down and just do it. I like to take about four days of intense packing. This also keeps me from sneaking in stuff I don’t need.
5. Use wheelie suitcases. They are excellent alternatives to bins, and much easier to haul from the car.
6. Use a dolly. Normally I borrow one from my local church.
7. Men and boys. Bribe them with pizza. But seriously—the more muscle you have, the faster and more painless the process.
8. Actually, just people in general. Again: Pizza. Or eternal love. Whatever it takes to recruit hands. A lot of the stuff you move will just be little things. The more bodies, the less trips everyone has to make.
9. Unpack it all at once, preferably in the day or the day after you move the stuff. The longer those boxes sit there unpacked, the more overwhelming it will get. Do it fast—like ripping off a Band-Aid!
10. Forgot/missed stuff? Make another list! As you’re unpacking or as you start to live in your new room, keep a list of things you need your mom to mail you or that you need to grab from WalMart.

BONUS ROUND! What not to do:

1. Leave everything packed. Don’t sit around in your soulless room with all those suitcases staring at you. There’s no better way to make yourself feel isolated and alone.
2. Move all your stuff by yourself, especially when you know you need help. Speaking as someone who’s injured herself by not flat out asking for help, it’s just not worth your pride. Ask. The worst that can happen is people saying no. (And, again, food does wonders to increase helpfulness.)
3. Make someone else bear the brunt of your move. If you ask for help, it’s your responsibility to have everything ready on your end. Have the stuff set to go. Even move the things you don’t need help with. Don’t expect your friends or parents to do all the hard work.
4. Bring all your stuffed animals. I know I said to bring your stuffed horsie, but you have to be selective. Bring the items that are the most important of all the important things. Remember that you’ll be buying new stuff and making a new home, so you need to leave space for your new memories!
5. Use permanent wall stickies in a dorm room. Seems obvious. It isn’t. Take care. The tape section of WalMart is a tricky place.

*11 is not a typical move statistic for college students. As a summer worker, I have to move extra when I go into summer housing. Study abroad and room changes also add complications to my moving resumé.  

I’m back in the States now (insert tears), and settling in at Berry. This entry will wrap up my posts about my semester abroad.

Studying abroad was the best experience I have had as a college student, hands down. It gave me greater confidence in myself as a student and a person. I returned with a greater appreciation and understanding of people, history, and landscapes. I gained a new home and a wider perspective. These firsthand experiences are something I could not have had without stepping out of Georgia and into that other world.

Some rather practical skills learned include:
Travel flexibility!
In the course of traveling alone and with other international students, I learned to chill out and enjoy the journey. Departures from the planned path aren't frustrating—they're adventures!

Public transportation!
While it's not always a smooth ride (ha ha), I can now navigate trains, buses and the occasional ferry if need be. I'd had some experience before I left, but I am definitely more capable at reading timetables and figuring out what I need now.

Walking!
I have my "British legs," as I call them. When I first arrived I was quickly winded and couldn't keep up with my international and British friends. But while there, I hiked about 5 miles of Hadrian's wall in a day, and took a 6 hour hike along the cliffs of Wales, and can basically go a really long way without fatigue. This has been really important to me because I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I've always been afraid of being weak because of it. It's a great feeling to be able to walk far and comfortably, and walking has become a really important part of my daily routine.

Writing super long papers on topics not yet in academia!
When I found out my entire grade would rest on two 5,000 word papers, I was nervous. When I found out I wasn't allowed to do any citation and it'd all be my own research/close reading, I was REALLY nervous. But the experience was fantastic. It taught me a lot more about myself as a writer, and gave me a huge boost in confidence at my own ability to produce good work without using citations as a crutch. I'm actually not looking forward to going back to citations!

But there were also goals I had that weren’t quite so measurable. I wanted to gain inspiration and experience for my life as a writer by immersing myself in the culture and history of the countries I would visit. And I did.

Though the culture in England is not drastically different from America, there were many quirks (especially among the Cornish, Welsh and Scottish people I got to meet) that broadened my perspective. But perhaps the biggest way I feel the experience helped me as a writer was just the chance to see wholly new landscapes and learn more about the history of a place that’s vastly longer and more complex than American history. For instance, walking in the Culloden Battlefield in Scotland impressed on me the futility of wars and the toll of oppression in the aftermath. Hiking along the cliffs of Wales taught me how wild and legendary a land can be, holding hundreds of stories and fables around every corner—so that the countryside itself becomes a character. Standing in the Sagrada de Familia in Barcelona opened my eyes to the way a building can be like a marble forest. All these experiences were invaluable to me as a writer.

I feel like I was already changing before I left, and this experience has just propelled me forward. I am more confident, more assured, more independent and more capable than I was when I left.

To a student preparing to study abroad, I’d say: Make it your home. Don’t try to be a tourist and stuff in as many experiences as you can—though that’s well and good. But the real experiences that will change your life are the people you meet, the history you learn and the places you take the time to know.

Like most freshmen I arranged to meet with the study abroad office within a month of starting my first semester. (What? That’s not typical?) For about a year between freshman summer and sophomore spring, I experienced a drop in my confidence. What if studying abroad was too hard? What if I got too homesick? What if I was alone and stranded and they didn’t have pizza or air conditioning in England? These things plagued my mind. 



That’s where Berry’s study abroad office came in to save the day. Here are some ways they helped prepare me to go and thrive in my semester abroad. 



Early Exposure 



During your first semester at Berry, you have to take an introductory college class. During one of the class meetings, the study abroad coordinator and/or a student who studied abroad will come and talk to you about how awesome it is, how to get scholarships, etc. They also do this in most language courses. So be prepared: Right from the start your wanderlust is going to be tickled.

Easy Meetings/Available Information



It’s quite easy to arrange a meeting with the study abroad office. You do have to fill out a little paperwork (why you are interested, where you want to go, etc.), but I felt like this just focused my curiosity. The office will try to match you to schools that are both in countries you want to visit and that specialize in your major (unless you just want to go for general education courses). When I mentioned my interest in creative writing, I suddenly had a brochure about travel writing classes in Italy. When I mentioned a love for England, I had guides and student reports about two fantastic universities. As I began to focus in on the school I wanted, I always had the study abroad office ready to answer any questions that came up (or ready to direct me to the correct place on the schools’ websites).



Meeting with Other Students

 

When I had selected my school (University of Reading), I was paired with another student who had been there the spring before. We got lunch together, and I plied her with all my questions. She gave me essential information, such as: What do I need to buy when I arrive? Where can I get a phone/bedding/groceries? How does the meal plan work? She also shared several stories, both preparing me for cultural differences and encouraging me. She even had a fantastic church recommendation, which was very important to me and a huge blessing. The ability to meet with a student who had studied at this school took a load off my mind and helped me feel very prepared when the craziness set in.

There are a few meetings you are required to attend before studying abroad. Most of these had basic travel safety tips and cultural games. But even though I had traveled abroad before, I still learned important information at these meetings. And it was cool to hang out with other Berry students who were (literally) going to the four corners of the world.



Counseling

During the training it was recommended that we consider seeing a counselor before leaving. Berry has a service with our on-campus health center where students can see a counselor for free. I know students who have used this service before and really benefitted from it. I had been attending counseling for a few months before I studied abroad (with an off-campus counselor who I’d been referred to), and I found it extremely helpful. My counselor had some great advice for warding off homesickness, keeping down stress levels, and enjoying myself. I’ve used her recommendations during my stay in England, and I can tell you they’ve helped me enormously.

You don’t realize how important fast communication is until you have five forms to turn in and you haven’t heard from your abroad university for over two weeks and you’re completely freaking out. Normally, Berry’s international office will get back to you within twenty four hours, or two days at the most, and always with a detailed answer. Their thoroughness is like a refreshing breeze as you’re trying to juggle all the preparations for leaving. 


 
 (My Danish friend, Anna, hiking along the cliffs in Wales)


There you have it: How Berry prepared me for this amazing experience. And it has been amazing. In fact, if the study abroad office hadn’t told me that my student visa will only be good for six months, I might consider staying here forever! Maybe I’ll just have to get married…



Just kidding. I’m excited to get back to Berry in a few months. Mostly because we have a Chick-fil-A on campus. (Okay, okay, and other reasons, too!)

Well, I just walked out of my last seminar at the University of Reading. I’m feeling a bit nostalgic already. So, I thought I’d write a comparison of the biggest differences between taking a class at Berry College and at the University of Reading.

The Class Structure 

At Berry: In a typical literature class at Berry, I would attend two longer lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or two shorter lectures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The lectures themselves would be part teaching from the professor and part discussion about the book we were reading. Occasionally there would be a presentation from a student or a proofreading session during the class. Classes go for sixteen weeks, from mid-January to the first week of May. Classes can range from seven students in an upper-level to around twenty or thirty students in a general education course. Pretty straightforward.

At Reading: Classes here are very different depending on which class you are taking. First of all, a class is called a “module,” and what they call “courses” we call degree programs. This was infinitely confusing as I tried to navigate Reading’s website when I first started looking at studying abroad.

In a given class, you might have lectures, seminars or tutorials, or any combination thereof. A lecture is basically what you’d expect, with the exception that at lectures you aren’t supposed to talk to the professor—no questions or comments. You just listen. A seminar is when you meet with a smaller group of people—say seven to fifteen—sometimes with a different professor to have discussion and questions. A tutorial is when you meet one on one with the professor and have a private lesson.

The two classes I am taking here are considered “coursework” classes, which means I only have seminars. While at Berry I’d be taking two or three English classes (plus whatever general education/fun classes I wanted), here I am taking only two English seminars. I meet once a week for two hours with each class… which means I have five day weekends.

While at Berry we have fall and spring semesters (and summer blocks), here they have fall, spring and summer terms. The spring term is only ten weeks long. It’s followed by a month long Easter break. Then summer term starts, which is when students turn in their final projects and take tests for their final grades.

Speaking of…

The Course Load and Grading 

At Berry: A literature class at Berry generally has two to three essays (between four to ten pages, though that varies), a journal or short papers, and potentially tests or a final in-class essay. We’re also expected to read all the novels assigned. My grade would be divided between these various projects and my attendance/participation in the class, and my professor is the one who gives the grade.

At Reading: My coursework classes grade only one thing: My final project. I’m not marked up for attendance and I’m not allowed to split my grade over multiple smaller assignments. It all rests on my final, eighteen page paper. And if I want a good grade, that paper’s got to cover something that hasn’t previously been addressed in academia. Pressure much?

Interaction with Professors 

At Berry: Professors love to see students outside of class. Many times during the semester, I’ll find myself stuck in an essay or kicking around vague ideas. I can just pop into my professor’s office, and normally I’m met with a smile and enthusiasm. When I pass professors outside of class, they’ll often say hello or even stop and have a chat. I normally get feedback on my essays from the first concept to the thesis to the rough draft. It’s a warm, friendly atmosphere that’s really helped me thrive.

At Reading: The first day of class, my professors told me they weren’t allowed to even discuss my final project. Say what?! I do have one assignment that doesn’t get graded, but does get feedback, which would at least let me see if my quality of writing was going to meet their expectations. But I’d get very little feedback on the actual assignment.

It’s also much harder to meet with professors here—usually you have to go and sign up on their door, and sometimes there aren’t enough slots. Though by the end of term I feel pretty familiar with my professors, I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable popping in and asking a random question.

My professors have been great, though, and have found ways to encourage me in the right direction. But it’s still nothing like the experience I have at Berry.

Accents 

At Berry: Normally the accents are Southern or at least standard American. (I’m not sure that’s a thing. Whatever isn’t Southern but also isn’t northern or city.) I have nothing against this. But…

At Reading: British accents. In literature classes. British people reading and discussing literature. It… it is beautiful.   It makes me cry inside.

Stay tuned for more of my adventures abroad!

By the way, there is an option for you to leave comments on this blog. If you have any questions about study abroad, or Berry in general, do let me know!

Study abroad has been the best decision I’ve made in my college career, hands down.

I’ve been at the University of Reading seven weeks now (can’t believe it’s been so long!). Adventures have abounded, including but not limited to: Almost getting hit by cars, exploring abbey ruins, and making friends with a llama. Oh, and classes. Because studying abroad does involve studying.

But to catch you up without writing a novel, I present for your enjoyment: My Top 5 study Abroad Experiences (so far).

5.     Walking Along the Beach in Wales  

I was in Wales meeting up with my sister for an epic Wales-Ireland-Switzerland-Germany-Switzerland-England trip. 

 We were staying in a small port town, so I left early one morning and went to the coast

The dunes were amazing—covered in fog, taller than the hills at Berry. I followed the locals and climbed higher and higher, admiring the views and enjoying traditional Celtic reels on my iPod. It was like walking out of civilized England and into the wilderness of legends. I came back wet from a brief rain, cold, hopelessly windblown and covered in sand, but grinning so hard my face hurt.

4.     The Book of Kells and Trinity Library   

 My journeys took me to Dublin, an opportunity I seized to go see the Book of Kells. If you don’t know, the book is the most ornate illuminated manuscript in Irish history. To me, the book also symbolizes the vital role of the Irish in preserving literacy. While the rest of the world was falling into darkness, the monks of Iona worked as scribes composing this book—“turning the darkness into light.” (I’d highly recommend The Secret of Kells, which was up for best animated film against Up a few years ago and was made by an Irish animation studio. It’s a gorgeous film and story, influenced by the legends surrounding the Book of Kells.)  

 Ahem. Is my nerd showing?  

 After spending nearly an hour in the two rooms of historical background information, I finally made my way to the book. By that time everyone else had rushed through, and I had the entire exhibit to myself. I bent over the pages until my nose almost touched the glass. I stared, stared, stared for a long time. The intricate designs were mind-blowing. 

I thoroughly examined all the pages on display before reluctantly leaving the room. I climbed some stairs and went through a doorway, only to rock to a stop. I was in Trinity Library. I'd seen pictures before, but hadn't realized I was there. My jaw dropped, and then I started giggling. The security guard looked at me like I was nuts.

It reminded me of a cathedral plus a library--beautiful high ceilings, dark wood, spiral staircases, and volumes and volumes of leather-bound, worn, old books. I walked around twice just to take it all in. If I was going to run away and live in a museum (a la Wonderstruck or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ), this is probably where I'd go. Except then I would starve to death because there is no food (other than the Eternal Food of Knowledge).

 3.     Doctor Who Experience   

 This will probably only impress those of you who are familiar with Doctor Who, the longest running television show in history and a huge part of British pop culture. Basically: Time lord (time traveler) runs about with humans and saves the world and is awesome. Now go watch it. I give you permission to start from Season 1 in 2005.  

Suffice to say: Imagine your favorite TV show. Then imagine being in an episode of your favorite TV show. Then add time travel and Doctor Who. Then multiply that by about one hundred. Then you’ll have what the Doctor Who Experience was for me.

 I got to fly the TARDIS (space ship/time travel machine), walk around Ten’s TARDIS set, see life-sized villains from the show, and on top of it all the Doctor told me I was brilliant for saving the world. (By the way, you’re welcome for that.)

 Basically the day was filled with me running around and giggling like a small girl.

 2.     Literary Tour in Bath    

 I visited Bath (which remains my favorite city in England to date) a few weeks ago. 

As I was poking around, a fellow in costume (including cape and top hat) approached me and made some remarks about the neighborhood I was in. We started talking, me asking questions and him explaining the significance of the history and architecture of the Crescent and Circus.

As the conversation began to wind down, I remarked on the ha-ha wall in the grassy area before the Crescent. He looked at me very closely and chuckled. "You know, you're one of the very, very few people who I've met who know what a ha-ha wall is!"

I explained that I used to live near Mt. Vernon, George Washington's estate. For those who don't know, a ha-ha wall is a wall created by making a sort of ditch in the ground. It's practically invisible when viewed from above, which makes it ideal for landscaping--and for tripping up unwary walkers (thus the name). I told the fellow that I used to take my friends out to Mt. Vernon, I'd tell them to wait and then I'd run and jump down the ha-ha walls and disappear. He found this quite amusing.

He said he had about 45 minutes before his next tour, and asked if I'd be interested in having him show me around the literary sites of the city. Um, yes please! 

So I got my own private literary tour of Bath, because I knew how to recognize a ha-ha wall. Random historic facts are useful after all! 

1.     Sagrada Familia in Barcelona   

I took a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip to Barcelona, Spain, with another study abroad friend near the beginning of term. While there, we decided to see the famous Sagrada Familia. They began building the Sagrada Familia in 1883 (estimated completion is 2026). When I was getting ready to see it, I wasn't sure I'd like it. Modern? Not so cool. But it was actually one of my most amazing experiences I've had in a cathedral.

My jaw literally dropped when I walked through the doors. It was massive--bigger on the inside--with white marble and tree-like columns. It felt like walking into a white forest (or Lothlorien), with your eyes constantly drawn up. It was huge, but it felt light and airy.

They were having mass and singing in the church. It was ethereal, listening to the songs under the white marble trees.

Those are my top five experiences… at least, the ones outside the classroom. Stay tuned for more adventures from across the Pond!