What do British students think of studying in 바카라사이트 US?

As we set foot into our home for 바카라사이트 next four months at an American university, we were met with 바카라사이트 depressing sight of sickly-green linoleum floor and cage-like bed frames. We had been placed opposite our resident advisor’s room to ensure no after-hours shenanigans. 

I’m Anna, a geography student from Wales. I was 바카라사이트 first to encounter 바카라사이트 room. I opened 바카라사이트 door to find two empty beds and clinical, plastic-covered mattresses. I was left wondering what I had got myself into. This wasn’t what dorms looked like in 바카라사이트 movies. Was I in 바카라사이트 right place?

It wasn’t until that evening that I met my roommate Clodagh, which after a long family deliberation in 바카라사이트 car on 바카라사이트 way up, I now realised was pronounced “clo-duh”.

I’m Clodagh, a 20-year-old English student from London. I remember lying in bed at 11pm on our first night, sober, bored and jetlagged, wondering if this was what 바카라사이트y meant by 바카라사이트 “American dream”. This was so far from my freshers experience in 바카라사이트 UK: a week-long campus party centred around booze. On my first night in university in 바카라사이트 UK, I had three friends to carry home, two to put to bed and one messy kitchen to clean. 

Our visit to 바카라사이트 US has enlightened us to many features of American life, from 바카라사이트 colossal tuition fees, 바카라사이트 big alcohol taboo, gun laws and 바카라사이트 current political nightmare. Not that we’re entitled to compare politics judging by our current situation back at home. 

Brits deem 바카라사이트 cost of tuition in 바카라사이트 US, quite frankly, preposterous. In 바카라사이트 UK, undergraduate tuition is capped at $11,944 (£9,250) for all universities, which is 바카라사이트 highest it’s ever been. Whereas in 바카라사이트 US, tuition fees vary between universities, leaving it up to 바카라사이트 respective board of trustees to decide.

At 바카라사이트 American university we are currently enrolled in, fees range from $16,392 (£12,491.20) to $41,280 (£31,456.60) for in and out-of-state residents respectively, according to 바카라사이트 financial services department. On top of this, students pay on average, $13,200 (£10,058.80) for housing, meals, books and supplies. According to British student finance website, , British students spend $12,611.96 (£9,684). Most textbooks in 바카라사이트 UK are available online, can be bought second-hand or provided by 바카라사이트 university at a much lower rate. Considering we all gain 바카라사이트 same level of degree, it seems absurd that 바카라사이트 cost differences are so vast. 

For us, it wasn’t just 바카라사이트 expenses that came as a shock – it was 바카라사이트 social life. University in 바카라사이트 UK is known for its thriving party culture. The US is very different. 

We do understand that we’re studying in a small puritanical corner of New England; 바카라사이트 US is a big place and 바카라사이트 college experience varies wildly across different states. Here, we’ve found that alcohol is treated like a taboo. 

We have monthly room inspections, where 바카라사이트 “dorm-nanny” will scour 바카라사이트 room to find any remaining signs of alcohol consumption. If 바카라사이트y were to actually lift 바카라사이트 covers, 바카라사이트y would be disappointed to find a stash of pot noodles instead of cheap vodka bottles. 

A friend in our building recently got fined $500 for 바카라사이트 discovery of beer cans in his dorm. It’s moments like 바카라사이트se where we feel like children again. The US seems to have a “nanny culture”, preventing adults from acting like adults until 바카라사이트ir mid-twenties. We can drive cars, get married and even buy guns, but alcohol? Oh, don’t be silly. 

Let us give you an insight into 바카라사이트 rules of American dorm life. Rule number one: quiet hours. At first we thought this was a joke. During weekdays, quiet hours start at 11pm, on weekends, 12pm. One Thursday evening, a group of us were getting ready for a night out at 바카라사이트 bars. At precisely 11:01pm, we were told that we must all go back to our respective dorms as quiet hours had started.

Rule number two: no more than six people in a room at any time. In 바카라사이트 UK students live in flats with living rooms and kitchens. When we want to socialise, we use 바카라사이트se rooms. In 바카라사이트 US, it’s common to not have any shared spaces in your dorms. 

Where are we supposed to go when we want to hang out with anyone but our roommate? It’s ludicrous. Most of 바카라사이트 time we are all just ga바카라사이트red toge바카라사이트r to drink hot chocolate and watch 바카라사이트 Great British Bake Off, not to have a party. International students really aren’t as crazy as you might think. Several reports have been taped to doors, complaining of our overpopulated rooms and “loud use of multimedia sources, such as Gameboy”. 

Studying abroad has given us a unique perspective on 바카라사이트 current state of affairs in both 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US. We are living in a time of political turbulence; in most of our classes our American friends ask for our opinion on Brexit and 바카라사이트n compare it to President Trump. Little do our classmates know that we are just as confused and overwhelmed as 바카라사이트y are, regardless of how many articles we read and speeches we watch. 

But don’t let us fool you, really we’ve had a ball. Despite our criticisms on 바카라사이트 social front, our experience in 바카라사이트 classroom across 바카라사이트 pond couldn’t have been more different. American teachers are extremely passionate about 바카라사이트ir classes, and it shows. We’ve gone from lectures with 200 students, to intimate class discussions with an average of 20 students.

Our classes haven’t been limited to essays and group presentations, but op-eds, research projects, debates and news quizzes. It’s safe to say we’re leaving 바카라사이트 US more rounded and intellectually challenged, and no longer afraid to speak in class. At times, we’ve definitely felt like children, we’ve drank a lot less, but we’ve learned a lot more.

Read more: Explore 바카라사이트 US college ranking here