I have to be honest, I don't like going to university here. It's hard to be well-informed on how things are done in the UK, and more specifically at Liverpool Hope, since I've only been here for two months and will only stay for three more. I know it's difficult to arrange classes and schedules and credits between different universities, and it's great that this opportunity is possible at all, because it requires a lot of effort on the parts of both schools to make it happen.But for me, I prefer the style of classes at Ouachita. Here at Hope, classes for me only meet twice a week. Although I'm taking the required amount of credits, it only amounts to eight hours of class a week, and I'm only taking two classes.
You may think, "Wow, Anna, why are you complaining about only having eight hours of class a week? That's awesome! You have more time to enjoy your time abroad and do what you want to do!"
Yeah, but these classes aren't doing much for me back home. Due to scheduling conflicts and other issues, I couldn't take the classes I was intending on taking when I planned to come to England. As a result, I'm only taking one class that will help me towards any sort of academic requirement, and it's not even for my major. The other class I'm taking, an English class, won't help me at all towards my degree, not even for elective credit because I already have all I need. It's rather frustrating.
That, coupled with the anticipation of knowing that I'll be taking a lot of hours next year back at OBU in order to finish my major and minors, stresses me out a little. I would enjoy not having a lot of class here if I didn't have to make up for it next year. If I had known that I wouldn't be able to take the classes I was intending to, I probably wouldn't have studied abroad in the first place.
The structure of the classes differ from America in that there are few actual assignments (keep in mind that I'm speaking for myself and my classes, but this applies to most other classes as far as I know.) I have to read for class, but there are no reading quizzes, no projects, no worksheets. I will have a total of three grades this semester: a paper and final exam for one class, and a final exam for the other. That's it. There is little incentive to actually go to class, so my classes are typically half present on any given day. I'm pretty sure there are some classmates I've never even seen. Class time is filled with some discussion over reading and a lecture on the material.
No one speaks in the discussion. I'm used to those awkward silences that always happen in classrooms when the teacher asks a question and no one wants to reply, but it happens way too much here. Either the professors ask too many questions or the students don't know anything. I don't know. But I've become the most vocal student in both of my classes, and I barely talk at all.
Sometimes I also feel like I'm one of the few people who know anything about...anything. Not even about the material, necessarily. Sometimes no one answers the most basic questions. Is it because they never want to answer (not even once)? I feel bad for the professors because of the lack of participation from the class, but maybe they're used to it. In my English class, there are only a (very) meager handful of people that ever have anything creative to say. In my history of the Christian Church class, I answer the questions 85% of the time. I don't even know that much, but it seems like I do because I'm the only one who says anything.
I think most of it is just the style of the classes. In theory, I love the concept of pure lecture and discussion, because it's good for intrinsically motivated people like me. But when the class is always silent, it's a struggle.
As for the amount of free time I have, I enjoy it. However, since I have to pay and arrange for/figure out public transportation to get anywhere, it's hard to get out and do things. Also, I have no friends. (Just kidding, I do, just a little smaller amount than I'm used to.) In short, it's not the same as it would be if I had this much free time at Ouachita - I would be doing a lot more things with my time. I know, I know, I'm in England, how can I NOT do things with my time!? It's pretty easy, actually. Popping off to London every weekend gets expensive really fast.
Anyway, to end this post on a happy note, here's a picture of what my mom sent me as a Valentine's Day present last week! Hot & Spicy Cheezits and fat bird bookmarks! She gets me.