Study Abroad Spotlight: Megan Hern

Program and Location:

Summer, British History and Shakespeare in Oxford; Oxford, United Kingdom

Major/Minor:

Political Science with minors in History and Spanish

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I have always wanted to study abroad since I was little. I have always loved traveling with my family and knew that I wanted the opportunity to study abroad in college.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned how to travel by myself for the first time. It might sound simple, but I had never really traveled internationally without my family so being able to figure out how to take care of myself and navigate through foreign cities was an absolutely incredible experience.

What was one of your favorite parts of your program?

I really loved everything about my program. The teachers that organized and came on the trip with us, did a fantastic job planning each excursion. We had wonderful trips to Bath, Stonehenge, the Harry Potter Film Studios and London. We also had almost daily activities in Oxford to do, such as going to the local museums, walking through the meadows, seeing Shakespeare plays performed at the Oxford Castle and just discovering all the hidden gems that the town has to offer! I loved my time in Oxford. It is such a magical town and I really hope to have the opportunity to travel back to it one day.

What advice do you have to future study abroad students?

Studying abroad is a great opportunity that I hope you get the chance to participate in. I learned so many things about British culture and society, as well as having the chance to reach outside of my own comfort zones. I cannot recommend studying abroad more and hope that you will enjoy your experience just as much as I did!

How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at NC State? Did you take any field trips or do anything outside of the traditional classroom?

I loved the classes that I took at Oxford. I took 20th Century British History and a Shakespeare class. It was very interesting to get to analyze World War II from the British perspective. Additionally, in our Shakespeare class we had the opportunity to watch multiple plays be performed. It was very interesting to get to watch the Shakespeare plays that we had been studying come to life on the stage.

Would you do it again?

YES! If I had more time before graduating, I would absolutely study abroad again.

This post was originally published in Study Abroad.