What are the advantages of a university experience, primarily through Furman? It could be the incredible professors—experts in their fields—the competitive academic atmosphere, or the calm tree-laden campus complete with warm brick hues. But for students looking to breathe new dimension into their academic or personal journeys, look no further than a Study Away experience like that of the British Isles. 

As Dr. Michele Speitz of the English Department attests, while the experience is exceptional for English majors or those interested in literature, it is also incredible for non-majors still seeking to fill various GERs, such as Textual Analysis or Visual Performance. For English majors or those English-interested, the value of the experience is unmatched. The courses help account for around ⅓ of the major’s requirements through vivid, boots-on-the-ground experiences and specialized coursework. To discover Romantics like the Wordsworth siblings through books from their lives with the guidance of a seasoned scholar, whose duty is to connect their words to the present, is an irreplaceable experience for the literary impassioned. Or—for the theatre-impassioned student—to explore the streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon which Shakespeare called home, learning from scholars and actors alike the significance of his work in history. Or—or the mission-minded—the chance to embody the position of a Grant-writer and challenge oneself to do good for immediate society through literary means. 

If one is not an English or theatre major and still finds such experiences of great interest, they are in luck. While the semester is crafted with the intent to explore theatre and literature’s glories alike, there is practical merit in the GERs mentioned above. Many students looking at the opportunity to study abroad may find it a difficult consideration, especially for a freshman now settling into their university experience. There is of course, also the tragic fear of missing out on social aspects of student life and remaining consistent in climbing the academic ladder when considering an abroad experience. But the ability to explore the experience—especially as an underclassman who is not yet in need of pressing obligations like internships—makes an abroad experience so worthwhile. To hike the mountains of the Lake District and wander the crag-side streets of Edinburgh’s Fringe with international festival goers and performers alike illuminates some of the diverse, immersive experiences to be had. These activities highlight a unique identifier of the British Isles semester abroad: the travel. 

Many abroad experiences are designed with the central locations of their host countries in mind, but the British Isles abroad experience is one of the few tailored to shuffle students around the island – all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland to London, England. This goes without mentioning the day trips that pepper the semester abroad. For the journeying heart and curious mind, the semester becomes more of a dream. It is not all roses, of course, but the challenges are more than worthwhile both for the experiences they provide and the growth and perspective the work affords. The socio-political and artistic understanding that comes from a continual analysis of theatre and literature stimulates the literary eye that allows one vibrant perspective on the patterns of the human condition as they evolve or persist. The ability to see the remains of history—as well as the everyday people and royalty who shaped it—are each but broad ways to detail the spirited understandings to be had through the courses abroad. 

To say that the British Isles abroad experience has been life-changing is a dull, blanket way to describe it. It is more like a redefining of the self or perspective polishing; one is pushed out of his or her comfort zone in new ways. I have met so many people—from scholars to actors to residents—and learned more than could even be imagined from the tin. I am not a changed person from a couple of months ago, but I feel more structured as an individual both in what I see of the world and wish to be because of it. One can never truly gauge the value of an experience until one jumps in expecting to be challenged. So, I implore the eager student and wandering spirit to apply for the British Isles experience when available!