5 Study Tips While Abroad

5 Study Tips While Abroad 

Studying abroad can be a fun time full of new adventures but remember, you still have to take your classes, so with any luck these five easy tips can help make your life less stressful as you embark on this new adventure. 

1.      Get a planner.

Even if you don’t use one back home you will need one while studying abroad. If you have a well organized planner, you can save yourself some stress and confusion later in the semester. Buying a planner is the first step but really writing in it is step two. Take the syllabus and mark down the dates for your papers and tests as well as the trips you are taking. A planner can keep everything organized while you are travelling around the world while still trying to  pass all your classes.

2.      Use your time wisely.

In past semesters, it was easy to put all your homework off till the weekend and binge watch all six seasons of your favorite show. While abroad, you won’t have time on the weekends. So, put down the Netflix and do your homework instead. If you use the free time you have throughout the week to do little bits of your work you won’t have to spend all Sunday night cramming in a week’s worth of assignments. 

3.      Bring some homework with you.

I know it sounds lame to pack homework on your trip, but you will be thankful later if you do. Use all that time on a train or plane to catch up on your reading assignments. If you don’t want to take the whole book, make a copy of the chapters you need to read to save space. If you do some homework while you travel you will have less to finish when you get back.

4.      Use all your available resources.

This one is just a good study tip in general.  While abroad, make sure to visit the library. Yes, there is a library. It also has quiet floors so you can actually get some work done. You can also visit sites like quizlt.com or keepmeout.com to help make your study session more productive.

5.      Eliminate outside distractions.

It is 2016 and everyone has a mobile phone attached to them all hours of the day, but if you want to make your study time more effective then lock your phone in a drawer and get to work. Getting your mind away from your friends latest Facebook post or your ex’s last Instagram photo will keep your mind more focused on the assignment at hand. Trust me, all your social media sites will still be there after you finish your homework and your GPA will thank you later.

When you study abroad, you hear a lot about the places people go and the amazing things they see but a lot of people forget to mention the classes they were in. Don’t let those smiling faces fool you. The classes can be tough, but hopefully with these quick study tips you can conquer your classes and even the world. 

Written by: Brielle Brown

Top 5 Tips For Planning Independent Trips

TOP 5 TIPS FOR PLANNING INDEPENDENT TRIPS

 

Plan in Advance

Flights:

Flights are cheapest about 7 weeks before the departure date. Most budget airlines have a certain number of seats that they will offer at the lowest price, once those are booked they will offer the more seats at a higher price. Check out skyscanner.com to compare airline fares.

Train:

Train tickets will also increase the closer to a date you get so book those about 3 weeks in advance, too.

Taxi:

It never hurts to call your taxi a week early, either, especially if it’s a busy weekend for traveling or if you’re on a time crunch. Taxi's may only be available 30 minutes before or after your requested time if you wait until the day of to call. This is a big deal if you have classes well into the afternoon.

16-25 Rail Card:

It’s worth it! My rail card paid for itself within 2 train tickets and trust me, if you’re flying out of London every weekend this will totally pay for itself.

City Cards:

Most cities offer tourist cards. Most give discounted or free access to public transit and several offer admissions to popular tourist attractions. Not all are worth their prices though. Compare what you want to do with the cost of the tourist card. Some websites will even do this for you. Some city tourist cards I’ve personally found worth while are:

·         London: Oyster Card (discount on underground services – also saves time)

·         Cinque Terre, Italy: Cinque Terre Card (free access to Wi-Fi, public restrooms, trails, and unlimited bus rides between towns)

·         Munich: Bayern ticket (free unlimited public transport around Bayern)

·         Barcelona: T10 Card (10 public transit rides for free – you can also split those rides amongst multiple people)

  
Check the Reviews

Unless you’re traveling to Antarctica there are probably reviews on just about everything you’ll do while you travel. Make sure you don’t just go by the rating either. Once you have it narrowed down to a few options, actually READ some of the most recent reviews to see why the rating is what it is. For example, a hostel might be rated a 7 out of 10 because of a lack of a “fun atmosphere”, while others might be rated a 7 out of 10 because of lack of cleanliness. There is an important distinction here. Some of the best websites for reviews are:

·         Hostelworld.com for hostels

·         Booking.com for hotels

·         Tripadvisor.com for restaurants and activities/sights

      If you can’t find a review on an activity on one of the popular websites, try googling the activity and find a travel blog that might have a review on it. Travel blogs aren’t always accurate because they are one person’s opinion but they can be helpful if there is not enough information otherwise.

      Utilize the Apps

GET ALL THE APPS! Just kidding, don’t or else you’ll have no room for pictures. But seriously, before you travel somewhere make sure you have some of the basic apps.

·         Tube Map: London Underground: this app tells you which lines to take and how long it will take you to reach your destination saving you lots of time!

·         CityMaps2Go: This allows you to access maps of wherever you are offline. It even tracks where you are using satellite. It says it only gives you one free offline map but as long as you delete the app and re-download it, you can continue getting new offline city maps for free. Sometimes you can even get an entire country or region which is helpful if you’re traveling outside of a major city.

·         PayPal: When traveling with a group you’ll often pay for one another. For example, it is not customary to split checks at most European restaurants so you’ll be indebted to each other multiple times throughout trips. PayPal makes it easy to pay one another on the spot and quickly transfer it to your bank account without a charge.

 Be a Leader

Sometimes it’s hard to organize a large or even small group; heck, it’s hard to organize yourself when making travel plans! You’ll be forced to make decisions on a regular basis so don’t be afraid to commit or offer your opinion to the group you’re traveling with. Throw out a restaurant suggestion. Speak up if you want to go into that cute shop you just passed. Remember, you deserve to have the experience you want to have.

Written by: Nicole Childress

A Hidden Gem : Rouen, France

     You may be wondering how I found myself on a charter bus from London to Paris around 3 A.M. sitting in front of a man with a “Grind or Die” snapback who argued with a Gandalf-like ponytailed man in a three-piece suit. Though my sleep-deprived mind wished to scream “This shall NOT pass” at that late hour, I drove the thorny thoughts from my mind and focused on my mission like I was James Bond (sans suit and cool gadgets). My mission - and I did choose to accept it - was to visit Rouen, a hidden gem of a city.

 

 

     Situated in northern France is the tiny city of Rouen. Approaching the city on a connecting charter from Paris, I emerged out of the running hills of the French countryside and the thick forest foliage into the charming city snuggled by the Seine, surrounded by the comforting support of mountains clothed in verdant green. Inspired by its historical legacy, my familial origins there, and it being the site of the trial and execution of the famed Joan of Arc, I felt my heart skip as I stepped off the bus into temperate air to stroll to my hotel. Like cloudy green jade, the Seine flowed lazily under the bridge and reflected the nearly-cloudless sky of possibility.
     I dropped my things off at the Ibis Hotel, freshened up, and set off to wander the streets of Rouen. Cobblestone streets scattered with the occasional cigarette greeted my feet, along with chalkboard signs reading daily specials. I passed a cinema advertising French films and opted to meander down an alleyway wreathed with straggles of flowers. This led me to the Roman-Catholic Church of Saint-Maclou, elaborate in its Gothic architecture. Looking closer at the grim decorations, you can understand how the Black Death inspired some gruesome depictions in the art.

 

     Driven by my hunger - as is my usual state of being - I stepped into a small restaurant called La Petite Bouffe . There I ordered “Le Petit Canard” (“the little duck”) sandwich, which came out on flour-dusted fresh bread. Oh, this sandwich was just what my stomach ordered - generous strips of hot, juicy duck as well as lettuce and a mayonnaise-based sauce? Yes please. It came out to be reasonably priced and it filled me up with enough fuel to drive on

     After lunch I meandered more, finding the Saint-Ouen Abbey Church. Large and repeating the Gothic Flamboyant style, Ouen seemed more unkempt, with vegetation sprouting through the stone at select points to trickle down the sides. Ouen had a park-like area beside it, inhabited by teenagers roughhousing in their games, a floppy-tailed puppy learning how to play fetch, and a statue of Rollo, the Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy. Rollo looked a little rough, his stone unfortunately being tattooed with careless graffiti. The air was light, though, whispering to press on.
     Down alleyways I went, till I discovered one long alleyway so tight that you had to walk single-file to get through it. At the end of this straight-shot there was, on the wall, a portrait of Joan of Arc, perhaps done in the medium of spray paint. Not too far was the Historial Jeanne D’Arc, a museum in which you walk through different chambers to illuminate different sections of the life of the Maid. I did pass through, and was impressed.
     Exiting the Historial Jeanne D’Arc, I entered the majesty of the Rouen Cathedral. Having seen Westminster Abbey in the peak of tourism, I see this cathedral was a breath of fresh air. Walking into a nearly-empty cathedral is something like a dream, small tongues of golden candlelight appearing in every alcove in rows upon rows. Cathedrals rock you back on your heels till you feel dizzy, are open and airy and set in stone. This cathedral in particular is tomb of kings, housing Rollo, William I Duke of Normandy, Matilda of England, and even, at one point, Richard the Lionheart’s heart. Monet painted several versions of the Rouen Cathedral during several times of day and several types of weather, so it’s clear in no matter what condition the cathedral lives through, it still stands magnificent.
     The next day, my final day in Rouen, I visited the Church of St. Joan of Arc. This church, twisted and dark in architecture, was built in Rouen’s market square and a little garden just outside called Le Bouchet marks the spot where Joan was burnt for heresy. I’d set out alone in the early morning to see this spot, early enough in the day to see the fingers of dawn touch the cathedral and turn its highest spires pink with sunlight. Arriving at Le Bouchet, I read the sign where Joan’s death was summed up in one sentence and covered by the scent of the rosemary bushes and purple flowers growing nearby. I am not a particularly religious person, but visiting Joan’s final destination at such an early hour in the morning stuck in my heart. This enigma of a peasant girl turned military leader, this puzzle of a maiden who turned the tide of the Hundred Years War - all had condensed to her burning at the meager age of 19. In October, I will be 20, and able to live longer than the historical Maid.

     A new appreciation rises from Rouen, the place where Joan was tested and executed. Though the city experienced its hardships and still does feel the weight of terrorist threat today, Rouen is soaked through with beauty and history of striving for a cause. It is truly a hidden gem.

Written by: Julia Toney

Life Changing isn't a Strong Enough Description

Anyone you ask that has studied abroad will tell you the same thing. "Studying abroad changed my life." Anyone who hasn't studied abroad will say they wish they did.


"There is nothing I would not do for those who
are really my friends. I have no notion of loving
people by halves, it is not my nature." -Jane Austen

Being away in another country can be rough. But Harlaxton prepares you, they prepare you to travel alone, to immerse yourself into another culture, and how to make a new life in England.

But what they don't prepare you for is leaving. You're excited to go home and see your family, friends, and pets. Sadly, by going back to the states you end up leaving the new Harlaxton family you've made while being here, the new family of students from all across the United States, professors from different colleges, and the staff at Harlaxton Manor.

My biggest fear leaving Texas was not if I'd be able to do my school work or if I would be able to travel. It was if I'd be able to make friends. I was so incredibly scared I would get to England and find no one to be friends with. I was scared for no reason at all. I did make friends. And the friends I made I hope to keep for the rest of my life. They are the girls I stayed up late watching movies with, went out and painted the town red with, had amazing and silly adventures with, crammed for the British Studies with, and the girls who are now my family.
I owe a lot to Harlaxton for giving my this wonderful experience. But I think I owe them the most for giving me a new family. One that I hope to always be a part of.
 

"Friendship...is born at the moment when one man
says to another 'What! You too! I thought that
no one but myself...'" - C.S. Lewis

Written by: Skylar Plummer

Tips for Future Fliers

Guys, do you know what's a super-awesome part of studying abroad? Flying! Airplanes! Adventures!
 
Do you know what's a really crappy part of studying abroad? FLYING!
 
Okay, okay - flying isn't always crappy. At least, it doesn't have to be. Sometimes, it can even be fun! However, it won't be fun if you're a dingus. An unprepared, ignorant, poorly-packed dingus.
 
Good news: you don't have to be a dingus like that! I've compiled a list of helpful flying tips for all the future Harlaxton students out there. If you follow the tips on this list and use a lil common sense, your chances of being a dingus will be greatly decreased, and the many flights of your Harlaxton semester may be blessed.
 
1. PRINT. DAT. BOARDING. PASS.

It's rule #1 for a reason, guys. PRINT YO BOARDING PASS BEFORE YOU GET TO THE AIRPORT. Budget airlines hand out some dirt-cheap flights, but they will charge you left and RIGHT for the little things -  like printing off your boarding pass for you. Do you know how much money airlines make off of charging people for printing boarding passes? No?? ME NEITHER BECAUSE I NEVER DID IT. AND NEITHER WILL YOU.

2. If it says one bag, BRING ONE BAG.

Look, y'all. We may be gallivanting around Europe for a semester, but we're still a bunch of broke college students. Even though we'll drop an absurd amount of money on those Birkenstocks in Germany or that Longchamp in France, we're still gonna go for the cheapest fare possible on our flights. That's okay! However, with the cheapest fare, a lot of budget airlines only allow ONE carry-on bag. Like, we ain't talking one carry-on and one personal item, - you get ONE BAG. I mean, you can definitely upgrade to "economy plus" or whatever and get that extra bag, but such a luxury does come at a price, my friends. And if it says one bag on your confirmation email or your boarding pass - girl, you BETTER only bring one bag. EasyJet is particularly adamant about this. (RyanAir allows a personal item even with the cheapest fare. Luv u RyanAir.) For my flight to Paris, the EasyJet personnel were insanely strict about this - if your personal item wouldn't fit into your carry-on, you had to get rid of it or pay for it.
Now, guys proooobably won't have too much of an issue with this bit. For my ladies, though, this is irritating as actual h*ck. For me and my pals, we would bring our purses and carry-on bags (tryna see if we could sneak two bags onto the plane, of course) and wait until a worker told us to get rid of the purse, and we would proceed to cram our purses into our larger bags. And then we would board the plane and immediately take our purses out of the bags. Because the flight attendants give 0 cares how many bags you have.
 

 
It makes little to no sense, an you know why??? They just tryna con you outta your money, those budget airlines. They're simultaneously a Godsend and a horrible trap where your money dies. Moral  of the story: bring one bag, or make sure that you leave enough room in your carry-on for your purse to be sadly crammed into.

3. Early Friday morning flights? NO.

Early morning flights are almost always the cheapest flights you can get. And by early morning, I'm talkin' 6am departure. Do you know what 6am departure means?? You need to be at the airport by, like, 4:30am - which means that you either need to sleep in the airport the night beforehand (let's be real - you ain't tryna spend money on a hotel near the airport for that night), or arrange a taxi to take you to the airport absurdly early.
Do. Not. Do. This. Fly out Thursday night. THIS is where you spend that extra money, guys. Our weekends are precious; we only get two full days to explore these exciting new cities and countries we're visiting. Going through security at 5am and boarding a plane at 6am will KILL the rest of your day. My friends and I did this to save some money because the Friday morning flights were cheaper than the Thursday evening flights, and it ruined our entire Friday in Munich. We were tired, unenthusiastic, and super lame.
Now, if you want to fly out at 6am on Sunday morning to get back to the manor, be my guest. That's not too bad. But starting out your travel weekend with a 6am flight on Friday morning? No. Bad move. 0/10. Would not recommend.

4. Get to the airport earlier that you think you need to.

Y'ALL. Is it REALLY the end of the world if you have extra time to kill in the airport??? HELLO, NO, IT IS NOT. You should always give yourself AT LEAST an hour and a half in the airport before your flight boards. AT LEAST. My friends and I usually strived to get to the airport two hours early. Security and passport controls lines can be INSANE, and they have definitely been known to cause flight dilemmas. Just get there early, guys. I don't care if it's the end of the semester and you've successfully navigated ten different airports at this point. You aren't Raven Baxter, and you don't know what you will run into in that airport. Get over yourself, and get there early.

5. Security: prepare yo'self.

Security doesn't have to suck! Okay, that was a lie. Security always sucks, and there's nothing you can do about that. BUT, you can get through there as efficiently as possible! If you have liquids or a laptop or tablet in your bag, you will have to get that out, so make sure those things are easily accessible. Speaking of your liquids, PLEASE just put them in the quart-sized plastic bag. Don't try to cheat the system and leave a few out, because they will search all your things and make you throw away the extra. I know how much you love your Bean Boots, but please, untie that excessive amount of laces while you're waiting in line. Beware of late passengers frantically passing you and dashing through the line - just let them go. Also, don't freak out if they swab you for drugs - it's nothing personal.

6. Don't you DARE pay extra money just to sit by you friends.

Okay, honestly???????? YOU GON' SEE THESE PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS EMESTER. DON'T DO THIS.

7. Check to see if you need to get a visa stamp before leaving the country!

Sometimes, you will have to get your boarding pass stamped before you fly out of the country. Do that. Usually, it will specify on your boarding pass whether or not you need one, but if you're unsure, ask a knowledgeable human because you don't want to get the gate and be told that you can't board because you don't have your visa stamp.

8. SPACE BAGS, Y'ALL.

Wow, okay, this is the pot of gold, guys. You can buy really nifty travel space bags that don’t require a vacuum, and they are LIFE SAVERS. Packing for an entire weekend, especially a long weekend, in one carry-on bag can be a real-life struggle, but these guys will save the day! Mine are Ziploc brand, and I bought them in the States before coming to Harlaxton. Because packing for an entire semester is also a real-life struggle, and space bags give you room to pack fun things like Chacos.

9. Sleeping in an airport? Maybe not.

According to a poorly executed poll of Harlaxton students, sleeping in an airport sucks. Some airports are better to sleep in than others, but ya know, you just probably shouldn’t do it at all. However, if you feel that your Harlaxton semester will not be complete without an airport slumber party, the majority of students recommend Heathrow (#1) or Gatwick (#2) as the best places to do so. The worst? Luton. Don’t you dare try to sleep in Luton. Because you won’t. Your night will end in sadness.

10. Go to the right airport.

I mean, it should go without saying, but it has happened before…. If you tryna do multiple cities/countries in one weekend, you may actually fly into one airport and leave from a different one. Go to the right airport. Make smart decisions.

11. Don’t crack under pressure. (No pressure, though.)

Look, y’all. Something is going to go wrong during your travels this semester. Maybe you’ll miss your flight after you had already checked your bag. Maybe you’ll go to the wrong airport. Maybe you’ll get stranded in France or Greece because your flight got cancelled because the air traffic controllers are literally always on strike. Whatever happens, don’t freak out, guys. You’ll get your luggage back eventually, you’ll get to where you need to be, you’ll get out of France or Greece somehow. Employers love study abroad kiddos for a reason – because we can solve problems. We learn while we’re traveling abroad how to deal with missed flights and overcome obstacles and fix the problems we run into. Don’t crack under the pressure of these problems that you will run into, because it’s overcoming these problems that makes studying abroad such a rewarding and transformative experience.
 
Wow, sharing all of my travel knowledge + tips has been pretty exhausting, guys; I think I’ll have to leave it there for now. I hope that all of the future Harlaxton travelers reading this feel SO PREPARED to get out there and tackle the beasts that are airports and budget airlines. Sorry, though – you’re on your own for the trains and buses.

Written by: Lindsey Moore

Signs You've Reached #travelsquadgoals

No matter where you go or how detailed your itinerary is, traveling is stressful. When you travel with friends over a long weekend, you see the good, the bad, the ugly, and the jet-lagged. Tensions can be high at times. After traveling with the same people for three months, I've realized that they key to finding good travel pals is being able to look past the sassy remarks, and power through the jet-lag. Here are some signs that maybe you've found your ideal travel crew too.

1. They don't judge you for the amount of money you spend.

Everyone spends money differently on different things. Some people throw caution (and a budget) to the wind when they go to Harry Potter World. Others have no problems buying an £8 mocha, and some still are perfectly content to opt for the £2 tea. Those with more "consumer tendencies" can rest assured that they won't be judged (at least out loud) for buying a £50 pair of shoes.

2. They come in clutch with extra room in their bags.

When you went just a little mug-crazy and overestimated the amount of room you have in your 'small carry on item,' they are always willing to give your Starbucks Dublin mug a safe place.

3. They know when to let you have your introvert time.

Being around people 24/7 is exhausting, especially when you're in a different country. There comes to be, though, an unspoken rule where at the end of the day the headphones go in, and everyone gets to recharge.

4. They love you even though they've seen you sleep with your mouth open.

Enough said.

Written by: Lydia Anvar