My time studying abroad with EIL will be an experience I’ll never forget! The classes I took while abroad were Circuits and Thermodynamics. I made a lot of close friends within my major, connected with professors, immersed myself in the subjects we were learning, and got to explore a new country!

I really liked the fast paced learning environment that came with studying these subjects in the four weeks that we had them because we were completely immersed in them and had to go to class every day because of the short time we had. Going to class every day meant that we connected better with our professors than one normally would back in Knoxville because we saw them every day. The course work was challenging because we were learning it in a shorter time frame, but the professors made it very doable! They provided us with office hours and extra help during our scheduled labs. I learned a lot about myself in terms of study habits and learning style due to the course load.

I also really enjoyed the freedom and independence we got from studying in London. After class we explored the city and experienced the cultures and customs of England! We rode the tube every day to class, we saw Big Ben, the tower bridge, and we even attended the Trooping of the Colour for the King’s birthday! We went to many museums with the class to learn more about the applications of circuits and thermodynamics in the real world. We went to the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, where we learned about steam engines, and the Brunel Museum, where we learned about the first successful tunnel built under the Thames and how it is used today with the underground train systems. Also, our schedules allotted for fun day trips as well! We could take an hour train to get to interesting places outside of London such as Brighton, Dover, Bath, etc. Traveling with friends was a great experience and I felt I have gained a lot of perspective and independence!

This trip offered me a lot of critical insight into the world of engineering and helped me better understand my major. I am looking forward to pursuing mechanical engineering and I loved seeing it applied throughout the city. I feel my time in London well prepared me for further exploration at the University of Tennessee!