Erasmus reflections

For many, the study-abroad experience is a time of increased independence and growing confidence, while for others it can be defined by feelings of isolation and homesickness. As Erasmus draws to a close for Junior Sophister students, and as Senior Freshmen consider the choices ahead of them, Emma Whitney talked to students who are currently abroad to gain some perspective on the adventure that they’ve undergone.

Lara Monahan, Paris

I am in Paris on my Erasmus exchange, having signed up for the full year at the Sorbonne. Everyone says that you should enjoy it while it lasts because it will fly by. They were, of course, right. But when you are faced with an entire academic year in a place which, usually for the first couple of months, can feel quite intimidating, this is hard to believe. When I arrived, I really found the admin of living in a different country quite hefty. The actual Erasmus admin is simple – but it was the other stuff, like getting the equivalent of a Leap Card, making use of discounts and student support schemes that felt a bit arduous. I think this might be specific to France and the systems in place here, and I realise it doesn’t seem like admin could bring you down that much, but it really sucked away a lot of my time at least in the first month or so and had me wishing I had gotten to know it a bit better before actually arriving. That said, those moments have been completely worth it for the type of life experience Erasmus has given me. It is a system which has really built my confidence and sense of self – a good balance between feeling like I was being protected and supported by the Erasmus system, while also feeling incredibly independent. I have found that the study is still challenging; my classes are all in English, but the texts we do are at the same level of analysis that we would be doing at Trinity. Maybe the style of assessment seems more lenient but getting used to foreign systems of essay-writing, and just the energy put into looking after myself in a different country has rendered this perceived lenience necessary. I know a lot of people who felt that when they arrived on their Erasmus course they hadn’t been prepared enough by the courses at Trinity; particularly for languages students post-Covid, lots of people I know arrived and felt justifiably overwhelmed by the standard, and amount of work required of them.

I know I have been quite lucky in my course that it was a good balance between challenging and comfortable. I knew that moving to a different country, even for the relatively short period of time that an Erasmus exchange occupies, would change me, and that I would form an emotional, nostalgic bond with the place even before I have left. I already experienced this moving to Ireland from the UK, having never been before. I know already that the metro station by my flat, or the kebab shops that have graced many a 4am walk home, even the Carrefour aisle with the cheapest pasta sauces, will be nostalgic places for me if I am lucky enough to visit here again. The cultural experience of Erasmus isn’t necessarily what you initially suspect; it isn’t just things like being able to visit the Louvre when I want or walking around the Sorbonne campus that I will miss, but also the more ordinary things. All this to say, they were all right – anyone going on Erasmus should indeed enjoy it while it lasts, because however much the independence of it all can be bittersweet, the year will fly by before you know it.

Anna May Lyons, Berlin

If someone were contemplating whether to go on Erasmus, there is no doubt in my mind that I would urge them to go. My Erasmus experience has been just that; an experience, and a brilliant one for that matter. It seems something so natural and so fitting to be able to live and study abroad in your early 20s, and I truly believe that I will be grateful I got to do so forever. My time in Berlin, which I’m sure many people experience on their year abroad, has been a dream, a delusional fantasy, and life changing, whilst simultaneously being lonely, challenging and demanding. I think that perhaps I was slightly naive going into the year, not knowing what lay ahead of me, and carrying the simple expectation that I was entering into the best year of my life. Having to throw myself into a group of students from all over the world, scrambling to find common ground and establish a network in my new home, was nothing short of exhausting. Alongside this came navigating new areas, the foreignness of a new university system, and figuring out how to live alone for the first time in my life. But with adversity comes excitement, and for me, there was no city more exciting. Realising the depth of history and culture, the uniqueness, and the sheer mass of Berlin was amazing, and never ceases to amaze me. I would advocate for anyone to go to Berlin to study for several reasons. First of all, it is so incredibly liveable; with a cheaper rent and a general cost of living, a brilliant public transport system and a diverse and multilingual population. I also think that this is a wonderful place for any young person to be; as I mentioned, the cost of living is cheaper, but the city also places an emphasis on youth culture. Clubs, bars, and events are plentiful. Berlin is a creative and bustling place; there really is always something to do here. I really do think that if given the opportunity to go, do it, and go for a full year. To close, I think some words of advice would be necessary. To anyone going to Berlin, I would say; be as sociable as possible from the beginning (say yes to everything), save as much as you can before you go, don’t leave accommodation to the last minute, don’t be disheartened by the grim winter because the summer makes it more than worth it, and ask for help when you need it.

Zaynab Zahar, Paris

Moving to study abroad is one of the most conflicting experiences you could come across. There’s just so much going on. On the one hand, you’re exploring this brandnew place and being exposed to different cultures. It’s this unique experience that really helps you discover more about yourself-your capabilities, your limits, your likes, and your dislikes. Meanwhile, you’re dealing with these ridiculously complex emotions; you miss home, but you know you’re going to miss being on exchange when you’re gone too. In short, you quickly conclude that going on Erasmus is a brilliantly infuriating contradiction. Like any other rollercoaster ride, being on Erasmus involves several phases. The first one consists of the stress of applying, getting selected, and then dealing with the overwhelming mess of instructions to follow. What are meant to be helpful guidelines only serve to confuse you often. It can be a bit staggering, but rest assured, once you’ve arrived at your destination, it’ll end up benefiting you. Next comes the administrative process of being enrolled to your host university, as well as the nightmare that is finding housing. Mind you, destinations like Paris are especially challenging, since anything remotely affordable is at least thirty minutes away from the city centre. The application procedures are particularly headache-inducing. Once that’s over, you can progress to the next step: moving to your host university. Getting acquainted with the environment you are going to spend the next semester or two in is very exciting. You could find yourself in a university with four different campus buildings, which would be especially fun to navigate. There are unexpected surprises that you will probably (and almost undoubtedly) encounter – such as transportation and garbage strikes in your host city. Even those are something new you can learn about and should help you understand more about your host city and its culture; for instance, I can report with complete confidence that protests have been a consistent part of the French political laboratory since the 14th century. Once the nerves settle down, though, you can finally start meeting people with similar interests from all sorts of backgrounds, as exchange programmes typically have a wonderfully diverse student body. Weirdly enough, the anxious feelings you had before the beginning of the semester start to wind down, and you start confidently navigating your surroundings. Here, the lovely confidence boost comes in as you figure out how to resolve issues you may come across. You bond with other exchange students, while also learning from degree-seeking students at your university and teaching them stuff as well. It’s a lovely period of growth – filled with nights out and weekends spent preparing for assignments, along with the excitement to explore, and yearning for home, all in one. You’ve likely heard this before but going on Erasmus is a truly rewarding experience. If you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone and experience personal growth, it is worth considering.

Jack Delaney, Strasbourg

I’ve looked forward to my Erasmus experience since choosing my course in sixth year. Given my studies of the German language in school, my seventeen-year-old self may have found it interesting to discover that I’ve ended up in Strasbourg, France. But alas, here I am. I didn’t end up too far away from Germany. Located right beside the German border, Strasbourg offers a blend of cultures, showcased finely throughout the city’s narrow streets and peaks within the city’s world-famous Petite France district. With the European Parliament and the Council of Europe only a couple of tram stops away from the university, this city is European to its core and offers an attractive Erasmus experience. The central point of the city is firstly the stunning, world famous Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg and secondly, it’s buzzing student life. Beer pong tournaments, language cafes and other organised Erasmus events introduce you to individuals from every corner of the globe. The student hub is bustling but not large enough to become overwhelmed or feel lost in the crowd. My experience is all about the people I’ve met and the lifelong friendships I’ve gained here. Of course, Erasmus is about travel and fun, but within this exciting time, you also have to navigate the culture of a new country and an entirely new academic system. A student driven environment such as Strasbourg’s provides a comforting network of people sharing the same struggles and experiences. However, even in the midst of such a strong student hub, Erasmus can be an isolating and lonely period. You’re away from the strong social networks of your college life and expected to build an entire new life to get through the semester. Once the novelties of trying local food and exploring the local areas, you’re still just in your second semester of third year without any of the characters, places or groups that created and encompass your love of college life outside the lecture hall. This love must be redefined rapidly from the moment you arrive and getting to this point can prove to be a difficult challenge. For me, the adjustment period took time. Getting to grips with the Alsatian, French culture and character of the city itself were the biggest barriers to my enjoyment in the earlier days. Strasbourg is much smaller than any major city, including Dublin. On Sunday, the streets are deserted, supermarkets are closed, and the city enjoys a full day of rest. The city also values its night’s sleep with nothing (apart from the nightlife) staying open after 9pm. This proved an adjustment from the luxuries of 24-hour access to Spar and late night munch. Believe it or not, you learn to appreciate the downtime and slow pace of life here. Life is chill and the academic life is undemanding here. Like many host institutions, my university in Strasbourg caters to a blend of native and non-native English speakers. Courses are taught in English, but the level of detail and the intensity of work involved is lower than in Trinity. As a final note, Strasbourg’s similarity to my home city of Galway provides a nice illustration of its essence and my overall experience. Like the City of the Tribes, Strasbourg seems to thrive in the sun. Its vast array of parks and outdoor eateries (which were boarded up on our arrival in January) set the scene for a perfect late spring or summer’s day. Its quaint qualities become vibrant, and the quiet streets become bustling with life. This transition proves that the journey of Erasmus, with its trials and tribulations, is worth it in the end and the experience is priceless.

Alanah Kennedy, St Andrews

I had never been so depressed as when I went away on my Erasmus to Scotland. My expectations were high, I had rarely heard a bad word against the Erasmus experience and when given the chance to experience it, I took it. In all my wisdom and all my sense, I figured St Andrews, a tiny little town populated by more Americans than actual Scottish people and with only one night club that opened two days a week... Yes, I somehow thought that is the place for me. I lived in privilege for twenty years without truly understanding the feeling of loneliness, it was not until the choppy Ryanair plane descended into Edinburgh airport that loneliness first found a home in me. This experience was a way for me to prove to myself that I was independent, without the help of parents or friends, and so I believed it was a great idea to bring 30kg of luggage with me. And so, imagine the foreshadowing of that rainy night as I stepped off the plane, embraced by cold bare air and with a two-hour car journey ahead of me that I had to share with eight other strangers, strangers that were in their final years of university, that were familiar with the travelling routine and very cleverly brought someone along to help them. I say that it was raining and cold, and it must have been, it was Autumn in Scotland? But truthfully memories distort these facts to reflect how we feel in these moments, for all I know it could’ve been sunny and humid, but this wouldn’t accurately reflect how I was feeling at that time. So this memory will forever remain cold and rainy to me. I had the expectation that I would soon become good friends with my flatmates, but this assumption was quickly crushed as the awkwardness of the flat seemed to permeate the air. I assumed with four hours of classes a week my grades would greatly improve, I was in fact wrong, as it turns out the St Andrews’ stereotype that everyone is pretentious or intelligent is a stereotype for a reason. St Andrews all in all seemed a miserable time in my life. But within these moments of misery came moments of gratitude as I found meaning in the relationships I made around me. I appreciate my best friend Eve, who I would have been wholly lost without on this journey, and without her I would not have experienced the god-awful nightlife in St Andrews. I have rarely laughed so hard as I have with her. Nor would I have experienced the charm of poetry readings without my good friend Arrushi introducing me to the hub of creativity they were a part of. Slowly but surely these originally miserable moments transformed into things I knew I would appreciate in years to come. My perspective began to shift, and the relationships I made and the beautiful, picturesque seaside town I called home slowly became a place for me to enjoy. Before I knew it loneliness soon became independence, this once foreign place became familiar, and gratitude replaced my misery. I know I will forever fondly look back on this fluctuating stage in my life, appreciating both moments of hardship and beauty, a stage in my life in which I learnt that time and attitude can greatly change our perspective and ultimately our experience.

Emma Whitney is Deputy Editor of Misc.