Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

It is hard to pick a single memory of the many that I’ve made during my time in Dunedin. Instead, I will describe a handful that I feel encapsulate my time in New Zealand well. When I first arrived, I hardly knew anybody besides the other Lake Forest College students that were also at the University of Otago for study abroad, my flatmates, and a friend I made online. The first couple weeks here were spent meandering and exploring the city of Dunedin. I was also able to take a few hikes along the outskirts of North Dunedin during this time, such as walking on the Ross Creek trail. Since the financial burden of living abroad was lightened considerably by the Smith scholarship, I was able to spend more of my time immersing myself in the outdoors of Aotearoa.  I also enjoyed participating in many University-organized and other social events. Some key highlights include events hosted at the Hub, a center for international students, UniFlats nights at Union Bar, and area dinner. These events, in addition to the events organized by various clubs and societies (dubbed clubs and socs), were where I was able to meet some truly remarkable people.

It might not sound very exciting, but I would say that the element of the program that most positively impacted me was the academic sphere in studying abroad. Going from a small liberal arts college to a large university was a shock at first, but I was able to acclimate to the rhythm and expectations in both the psychology and sociology department. As someone who is interested in going into research in the future, I found that studying at the university which is home to the lengthiest longitudinal psychological study in the world a priceless experience.  

I would like to thank G. Dale Smith, ’37 and Ruth Peterson Smith for their sponsorship of the Endowed Scholarship Fund for International Study Abroad Programs. Their generous donations contributed substantially to making my time at the University of Otago a truly formative, unique, and enjoyable experience.  

The beautiful Clocktower Building on Otago's campus: