(no subject)

[caithream]

After a long time of pondering, scrutinizing, weighing, and angsting, I think I finally feel a pull to a decision and I feel pretty well content about it.

I think I'm going to ditch USF's summer study abroad program and instead go to Kingston University in England. Cambridge would be all kinds of wonderful, but, well. You want a pro and con list? I've got a pro and con list.

Truth be told, I wasn't sold at all the USF's Cambridge program. It's expensive, $4200 for a three week stay, not including airfair, books, tuition, or any sort of travel pass, and I'm pretty sure my Bright Future's scholarship doesn't cover summer study abroad programs. Kingston, however, is £1,900, roughly $3700 for a full month's stay, and it covers tuition, accomodations, a travel pass for the London underground, and other things here and there. They're giving out two scholarships for about $700, but even without it, Kingston is still cheaper than going through my home turf.

And, I don't know. I just kind of get this feeling. I'm leaning towards Kingston, have been for a while actually, so I just feel I have to go with my gut. The accomodations are all kinds of awesome, as is the surrounding area. It's only 25 minutes from London, easily accessible by the underground.

As soon as I talk to my advisor, which should be sometime next week, I'm filling out an application. Only 130 students are selected, I think, so, you know, crossing my fingers and all.

What I would LOVE is any and all advice anyone can give me on studying abroad, or, heck, going to the UK in general. This is a big time first for me, and I tend to get more than a little panicky in situations I can't control. Being on my own in another city, on another continent... yeah. Thinking about getting $3700 by May 20th pretty much gives me indigestion, but lkajdl;akjsdlk! I can do it. I have to. I want to do this so bad it's killing me.


My mom makes me have serious lols, as she wants me to download Killing In the Name Of by Rage Against the Machine for her. I DRAW THE LINE AT ANARCHY PATCHES, MOM.

SOON: The Office and NEXT WEEK: I'm die. WEEEEE.

Comments

[lilithboadicea.livejournal.com]

I'm having a "WAI! *sniff* You're all grown up" moment. Just give me time to pull myself together here.

No, seriously, was it that long ago that I was censoring myself on LJ because 'Sarah will read this and her parents would kill me'? No. No, it doesn't seem like that long to me. GOD YOU MAK ME FEEL OOOOOLD.

<3

[caithream.livejournal.com]

D'AWW LIIILL. I feel old; I'll be turning 20 in four months! My life is slipping me by! ;D

♥!!

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

I have no advice, I am here just to say good luck and go with your gut.

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Good luck is just as good as advice in my book, hee. Thank you! :D

[falterfrei.livejournal.com]

Wow, awesome!! I am so excited for you! I hope that you get selected, and I know you'll have an awesome experience there. ($3700 sounds like a lot, but if you save enough, you'd be surprised how it adds up. Assuming you have four months before the beginning of May, you only have to save up/earn about $925 per month. I can think of a hundred and one ways to get that kind of money, especially if you tell people you are trying to earn the money to study abroad.)

Way to go! You'll have to tell us all about it!

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Eeee, thank you! Since I don't have car payments or rent or anything like that to pay, I should be fairly good at getting the money. I've already got around $1500 in the bank as it stands, and if I throw in the pity factor with my parents, they might help out a bit. So! I'm really excited. :D ♥!!

Also! I read the short story you sent me, and Char!! I do hope you're sending out your little gems to places for publishing. I really loved it. I love how it all clicked and came together at the end; kind of made me grin like an idiot. If you've got any more lying around, I'd love to see you post some more!

[xprincessbloomx.livejournal.com]

That sounds extremely awesome. GO FOR IT! ♥

[caithream.livejournal.com]

I hope it all works out! *Crosses fingers*

[stargazertook.livejournal.com]

*waves*

I can't give you "studying abroad" advice, but maybe I can help you out with the whole "England as a foreign country" advice. Just let me think and I'll get some words of wisdom together. Heh. But actually Kate might be way better at this than I am.

Also, OMG when EXACTLY would you be there? Because, well I'm not sure where exactly Kingston is, but maybe I could come visit you!? That would be all KINDS of awesome!

I'll take you out for dinner and drunk you up, hehehe!!!

[caithream.livejournal.com]

June 27th - July 28th! And Kingston is just south of London, I think? Something like that. WEEEE THAT WOULD BE SO EXCITING! Drinking, huh, what? Omg! *Clings*

[berreh.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I never did the study-abroad thing -- I was afraid I'd concentrate too much on the "abroad" and not enough on the "study". :D I did start to plan it a couple of times, though. Once I even considered going to grad school in Scotland, har. ("Heather has nae been tae class in two weeks! She's doon pub wi tha footie team!") But $3700 should be more than doable. I'd start looking for private scholarships -- the little $500 ones go unnoticed but they can really add up.

eee! So jealous! \o/

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Hee! Well, I would only be taking one class, and they encourage the studying of, ahem, the culture and all, too. And yes, scholarships! I have been very bad about keeping up with them and writing essays (urgk) but I guess I've just got to sit down and do it and just think of the final result. :D

♥!

[nothing_to_say]

Eeeee! I don't have any advice for you, but I think studying aboard is a very cool and a brave thing (because I know it's so much more than to study in a new country by yourself for a period of time). I wish you all the luck on this! :D

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Brave indeed. The key factor in this is conquering my fear of being alone in a new place without any help or anything like that. Getting ready for the real world and all, heh. Thank you so much! ♥!!