Honors Link

I studied abroad at Lancaster University, in Lancaster, England, during Fall Term 2014. I chose Lancaster University for many reasons, but one of my main motives for wanting to study there was the Lancaster Environmental Centre. Along with my Public Health major, I am pursuing the Sustainability Double Degree here at OSU, so having the opportunity to study at one of Europe’s largest research centers for Environmental Studies was an amazing opportunity. I took one course, Environment and Society, directly focusing on my Sustainability major, but also had the opportunity to take courses outside of my area of study, such as Nature and culture 1500-1700: Themes from the Renaissance and Christianity in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. Studying in England also meant that I was attending classes with people from all over the UK and Europe. Although I learned a lot from my professors and fellow classmates inside the classroom, much of my learning was accomplished outside the classroom.

Lancaster is just south of the Lake District in England, and is also home to the UK’s largest University Hiking Club. Being a member of the LU Hiking Club allowed me to explore remote areas of England that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to access, and to explore the beautiful Lake District. Being in England also gave me the opportunity to take weekend trips to mainland Europe, including Brussels, Amsterdam, and Berlin, as well as throughout the UK to Scotland and Ireland.

One of my favorite memories from my time abroad was being in Berlin for the celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Berlin Wall being torn down. The opportunity to travel and study abroad has by far been one of the best experiences of my college career, and I would urge everyone to look into pursuing a study abroad experience, even if it is not in a program related to your major. None of this would have been possible without the financial support of the Honors College, and the relationship that OSU has with the University of Lancaster.