University: Boston University
City: Boston
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: Business Administration, Economics
Study type: semester abroad
Hello,
so where do I start?! Oh, I’ll just tell you a little bit about everything!
What are the pros and cons of Boston? My experience:
University:
As you have probably already noticed, we only offer evening courses (3 hours) at the university. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. So you are limited in time and very tied, which ultimately wasn’t a big problem for me. You have lessons in groups, which in my case were large/small from 6 to 18 people. It’s a pity that you basically only sit in a class with either international students from the BU@Abroad program or part-time workers. So this is not a good place to make American friends! You have to take care of that in other ways. The introductory week was very modest. You were separated from the American introductory week and the Americans and had your own boring info events (which the others didn’t have!). The lesson itself is a matter of opinion. It’s a different world compared to Germany. It’s very academic. You sit in classrooms, have to give presentations, report, compulsory attendance, homework, etc. So you have to like it. On the other hand, the relationship with the professors is much more intensive. The professors are very difficult to assess, as this also depends on the person. Basically you can say that they are much looser. And you have to like that too. Personally, I got along with it very well. Casual conversations over the weekend or similar would not happen so quickly in Germany. Unfortunately, what is the case is that the teaching is a bit geared towards the foreign students. That’s because there’s really hardly anyone else in your class. The level drops, but only because of the language skills. Check mcat-test-centers.com to see University of Essex.
The university itself is really nice. The campus is huge and everything is within easy reach, assuming you live in the dormitories on campus.
Oh yeah, back to class, I’ve never celebrated so much in my life and gotten such good grades at the same time!!! So the combination is already recommended!
My opinion: If you really ONLY go to study, then go to another university, unless you like super school systems and a lot of practical relevance and little theoretical part!
As I said, you don’t get to know Americans in class. Either you spend the time with the people you meet there, from the dorm or through other leisure activities. If you want to get to know Americans you have to make an effort and do something for it. But since more under leisure life. But the Bostonians are really all very relaxed in their own way! Actually nothing special, more typically American.
My opinion: Americans, their way of living, living, talking and dealing with each other! Excellent!
The environment:
There are many ways to travel. The surrounding area is very beautiful, especially in autumn! There are destinations that are between 1-3 hours away and are great for tourists. It’s also a stone’s throw to New York and with one of the many cheap bus offers it’s also really cheap. Even if you have a longer weekend, eg Thanksgiving, you can easily fly/drive over to Canada or to Chicago or DC!
Direct Boston as a city: a matter of taste but totally my thing and beautiful! The environment is very European and quite un-American. Boston is more than just a street lined with fast food restaurants. Boston is like a city! You can also be out and about by bike or on foot and don’t have to rely on a car. By the way, public transport such as buses and trains is available and is pretty reliable by American standards!
My opinion: perfect! Beautiful and the right mix of Europe (landscape, environment, city) and America (people).
Leisure life:
If you like to celebrate then you are in the right place with me. TOP! Was just really awesome. Lots of different options. If you like it more pub-like, chilled and “cheap” there are just as many options as if you prefer to go out totally freaky chic! It’s always expensive anyway! I can say that right away. Entry fees like $25 are normal for clubs. A beer is not under 5 dollars and mixed drinks level off at around 10 dollars. So extortionate prices… public transport no longer runs at night, so always take a taxi! What else you do in your free time depends on each individual. Personally, I wanted to try out many different things that I can’t have in this form or with the people in Germany. That was also my ticket to to meet Americans. I joined a handball club that was outside of university. Training twice a week and some tournaments on the weekend. You got to know the team well and certainly got the option to really get to know Americans. In addition, there is a HUGE offer at the university itself. I took part in Model United Nations (where you can also do something for your English and also meet Americans) and played in the BU Marching Band (where you can also meet Americans, but better yet, you can watch every varsity basketball and hockey game for free !). But there really is more than that. Unfortunately, some of these activities clash with our evening classes, but you have to make do with it, willy-nilly.
My Opinion: If you like to party, Boston is a good place.
Life on campus…
has advantages and disadvantages! I would do it again because I met the friends from my semester abroad through life on campus. Most of the students on the program live with you and you’re missing out on a lot if you’re not there or don’t have the opportunity to get to know people like that. In addition, the residence is also very central and you can usually easily reach the university on foot. But you have to deal with the fact that the BU has very, very strict rules when it comes to volume, visitors in the room, and alcohol. These rules are silly, but you have to respect them. I know from experience that if anything goes wrong, there are fines, mandatory psychological interviews and sometimes warnings to be thrown out.
My Opinion: Living on campus
