Teagan Graham - Trent Study Abroad Program

Why did you decide to travel abroad?: I wanted to travel and experience school and life somewhere new as well as meet new people.

Why did you choose to study at The University of Leeds? How did you learn about it?: I chose the University of Leeds in England. My parents went to the University for a year abroad 30 years ago, and that’s how they met, so I decided to look at Leeds.

What was your experience like? What are some of the differences & similarities with Trent?: The first thing that sticks out that I liked was that all their classes were recorded, even with covid being technically over. But I did find, for History, that some of the lectures were pointless. The University was also huge and had a mini grocery store, an ice cream place, boba place, and other cafes and food places, along with four libraries, club/dancing spaces (and even a cemetery on campus). They also had a ton of different clubs (that were better advertised and findable than Trent in my opinion), so I joined the Fencing team. The University also held many events such as balls (dances) for majors and clubs and had holiday ones, such as the Halloween ball. I found that for courses the workload was less than at Trent, but the readings felt heavier. I had 3 courses a semester with one midterm assignment and one final assignment and that’s it, but with the readings, traveling, etc. it could be a bit of a struggle at times. They also have a system like blackboard, so I didn’t struggle too much learning a new school system and their library website was like Trent’s.

What did you find was the most challenging/difficult while abroad? : It could be very lonely at times. I arrived late because of visa issues, so I missed all the orientation stuff and struggled to make friends throughout the year. It could also be hard to be away from my family and friends in Canada because of that, especially when one of my cats back home passed away while I was in England.

In your opinion, what would you say are the benefits of studying abroad? : It’s a great chance to see the world and meet people from different places and experiences. It’s also great for learning how to be independent somewhere new where you can’t really go home on the weekend. It also gives lasting memories and has helped me be more confident when it comes to traveling to a new country or just around a city by myself.

What was one of your favourite memories from your time abroad? : It’s difficult to choose just one, but I loved the opportunities to travel across Europe and how much cheaper it is to travel from England than from Canada, so I was able to visit family who lived in Denmark and then solo traveled for the first time to Sweden and Norway after. I also went on an amazing trip to Budapest, Hungary with the History Society at Leeds. We had a boat party where we went around the Danube River dancing and drinking with other young people. We also did an amazing bar crawl that ended in a club (best one I have ever been to, had different dancing rooms divided by music type). It was also amazing just touring the city as the architecture was stunning and the food was delicious. My dad also came to visit me for five days and we went to Scotland together and stayed in a beautiful cottage. We did lots of hiking and went to small pubs, it was a fantastic time.

If someone told you they were thinking about studying abroad but weren’t convinced they should, what would you tell them? : To do it. Especially with Leeds, because they have a partnership with Trent. I paid Trent tuition and didn’t have to worry about international costs. Plus, it allows for more opportunities to travel and learn and experience so many things.