First, let me preface this post by saying I am having the time of my life here and would not change my experience for anything. Second, I understand that there are plenty of different styles of education out there, and it's great to try new things. I just think Colby's the best.
To be completely honest, school wasn't exactly my first priority when deciding where to study abroad. I knew I wanted an English speaking country, a large but manageable city, and and a region in which I could travel. Edinburgh was a perfect match for me, and love the city and culture here. However, the deeper I get into my courses, the more I dislike the education system. I don't learn well while sitting in a room with 300 people and listening to a lecturer read from the slides for 50 minutes. One professor actually reads directly from a sheet of paper for the entire class, without looking up once. It's a struggle to stay awake every week. Students here are supposed to be "independent learners" but it's difficult to do research when 300 people need the same book from the library. People also don't understand what the meaning of "silent floor" is here. With all the work and research I've completed over the past few weeks, I'm really missing Miller library (where I go to pretend to do work) and the second floor of Diamond (my favorite location when I actually need to get things done).
I also hate just being a face in the crowd during class. I have not spoken to a single professor since I have been here, and as they run in with 30 seconds to spare before class begins and run out just as quickly when class is over, I don't think I'll be having any conversations soon. I miss professors asking how my day is, how my extracurriculars are going, if I need any help on my papers, etc. The connections that professors and students have at Colby is amazing, and I definitely took that for granted until now. I can't wait to be back on the Hill, where professors give me matzo bread and tell me to chill out when I'm having a meltdown over an impending international relations midterm or challenge my rather radical ideas on saving the environment.
While I appreciate the opportunity to see what education is like in a different country and at a large school, I can't wait to get back to Colby!
I completely agree. I always feel the need to create a rapport with my professors. It sets the tone of how the class will go during the semester. I think it also lets them know that you're genuinely concerned about your education.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've been thinking about studying in Glasgow but now I'm wondering if I should look at other places :/
I hope it improves and that you no longer feel like just another 'face in the crowd.' Keep us updated.