Do you want to go on a minor abroad but don’t know what to expect? Or have you already applied for a minor abroad and want to know more about what it will be like when you are actually studying abroad? Then read along! In the second part of our minor abroad-series, Hylke shares her experience of studying at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland, and gives useful tips for studying abroad.

If you’re interested in the whole process before going away - including applying for a minor abroad - and want some tips, you can read part one of this series!

Hi, I’m Hylke! I’m currently a MA English Literature student. In the first semester of the third year of my Bachelor’s (September 2021 - December 2021), I went on a minor abroad to Cork in Ireland. Because of COVID-19, there was a lot of uncertainty whether I could go. Luckily, I could! While there were some regulations in place, I could go to in-person lectures and seminars all throughout the semester. It was such a great experience! I made lifelong (international) friends, saw some beautiful places and got to know the Irish language, history and culture. I can’t recommend going on a minor abroad enough! :)

#1 Don’t be hard on yourself

My journey to Cork was an emotional rollercoaster as I didn’t get to say goodbye to my parents because of the long waiting lines at Schiphol. I was very sad and homesick when I arrived. Luckily, my roommates were there to cheer me up and took me under their wings for the first few days (I lived in an apartment with five others; girls from Belgium, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, and one boy from the USA). After a week, I felt somewhat better but it took weeks to get over my homesickness. I want to stress that this is VERY normal when you first arrive in your host country! It can be quite a (cultural) shock to suddenly be in a different country without your family and friends, so don’t be hard on yourself when you feel sad or homesick. Talk to others about it, video call your family and friends everyday, and take it easy. If you think doing activities and exploring the city will help, do that. If you think that staying in bed for a day will help, do that. Make sure that you listen to yourself and your needs. :)

#2 Say ‘yes’ 

However, it’s also good to get out of your comfort zone and to say ‘yes’ to as many opportunities as you can! This helped me to get to know a lot of people in Cork and to make many special memories. When my roommates invited me to go into the city to buy some things, I just said ‘yes’ even though I was sad that first day. It turned out to be a really lovely afternoon! A few of my roommates were also really keen on going to pubs and doing nights out, so I often went with them. That’s when I drank my first stout (which I didn’t really like but hey, at least I tried it). I also went to a small concert (while I normally don’t really go to concerts), went clubbing on Halloween (which I had never done before), and did many trips throughout Ireland! If I hadn’t said ‘yes’ I wouldn’t have had these experiences and I probably wouldn’t have bonded with my roommates as quickly as I did. So, say ‘yes’ as many times as possible!

#3 Explore your host country

Exploring your host country is always a good idea! Start by exploring the city you’re staying in: visit monuments, landmarks and museums, search for the closest supermarket, or go to a local pub or bar, for example. After my first day, I already knew where the supermarket was. On the second night, my roommates and I went to a local pub to get a beer so we could get to know each other better. When my family and friends visited, I explored a lot more of Cork as well. Other than that, my roommates and I went to the Cliffs of Moher (which was very beautiful but rainy) and to Cobh (a small fishing town which was the last stop of the Titanic before sinking). I went to Kinsale with my parents (also a small fishing town), and to Dublin on a solo trip after my exams at the end of my exchange. It was so nice to see a lot of Ireland because it's so beautiful!

Visiting Dublin on my own gave me a whole new dose of self-confidence as I had never gone on a solo trip to a city I didn’t know before. To get there, I took a bus from Cork to Dublin. Once I arrived, I went sightseeing and visited the campanile at Trinity College, Dublin Castle, the National Gallery of Ireland, the Millenium Bridge, the Temple Bar and many other spots. In between these visits, I took breaks in lovely parks, gardens, and cute cafés. While I was overwhelmed sometimes because of the busyness of the city and the fact that I was alone, I loved exploring Dublin. I highly recommend you explore a lot of your host country as well!

#4 Find that balance

While it’s nice to see a lot of your host country and to do fun things, you still have to get your ECTs! ;) What helped me was planning activities around my deadlines. During the week, I studied (and went to lunch with friends for example) and took the evenings off to do nice activities or to relax. On the weekends, I would do fun things as well! Sometimes, if a deadline was approaching, I studied on Saturday. That way, I passed all my exams and had a great time. Balance is key!

#5 Budget + meal prep

Studying abroad is very expensive so sticking to a budget is useful! I was shocked at how expensive everything was in Ireland compared to the Netherlands (only meat was way cheaper, surprise surprise). During the first week, I had spent so much money on food because I bought items for dinner each day and didn’t know cheaper alternatives. I realised this wasn’t beneficial, so I started setting budgets for groceries and other expenses, which helped a lot with not spending as much. I also started to plan my meals for the week so I could buy groceries in bulk instead of going to the supermarket everyday, and could cook dinner for the rest of the week. How expensive everything is for you wholly depends on where you are going, but I would definitely suggest you consider budgeting and meal prepping!

Hopefully this blog has given you an impression of what it is like studying abroad. I really hope that you will also have a wonderful time in your host country! If you’ve done a minor abroad as well, share your experience and tips for studying abroad in the comments below! We’d love to read them. Stay tuned for part three which will be about what it's like when you get back home after having studied abroad! :)