Kelsey Rees and Meredith Park are both Plymouth State University first years. They are going through the same things that all college students go through to adjust to the college life, with one little thing on top of that. They are studying in Ireland at the University of Limerick in Limerick City, located on the western coast of Ireland, just four hours away from Dublin.
Both got involved with the Study Abroad program in different ways. Rees came to spring orientation at PSU and found out that there were still open slots for the trip. She decided this is what she wanted to do her first semester her freshmen year, so she submitted an application. Park, on the other hand, received an application in the mail like all first years.
“I wasn’t even sure if I was going to go to college,” said Park, “and when I got the application in the mail, it was pretty much what decided it for me.”
Both Rees and Park are taking First Year Seminar and a Composition course, classes that are required by Plymouth State. They get to choose three classes from the University of Limerick, which consist of two lectures a week that host around 200 students, and smaller tutorials for those same classes that have 10 to 20 students in each.
So far, Rees has not left the city setting, though she has made the four hour drive to Dublin.
“Before I leave, I plan on traveling to a less populated part of Ireland,” says Rees, “maybe there I will truly experience some of the real Irish culture.”
Park has done quite a bit of traveling, making her way to England and Scotland so far. Within the next month, she is traveling to Florence, Venice and Rome for a week.
Both have had troubles with some of their housemates. There have been a few disagreements that have escalated to the point of calling campus security to break them up, which was an overwhelming experience for Park and Rees. And, being college students, money is always an issue.
Both say they are having the time of their lives in Ireland. Rees says it has been an incredible experience because she has never flown out of the United States before. The study abroad program has really given her the experience of a lifetime. As for Park, she is looking to transfer to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she would like to study for the rest of her college career.
“Studying abroad is prob-ably the best thing there is,” said Park. “You get cultural experiences which will last you the rest of your life. If I had any advice for students who are debating whether to travel or study abroad or not, do it! Although there have b-een some ups and downs, I have gained so much from being here.”