University: University of California Los Angeles
City: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: law, history
Study type: Other courses
I spent my entire summer vacation before entering 13th grade at UCLA in Los Angeles and had one of my most exciting summers. Although I had already been to the USA with my family, this was my first time all alone in such a huge metropolis as Los Angeles. The first few days weren’t that nice either. It took me some time to find my way around the incredibly large campus and to get used to the constantly changing faces. Visit act-test-centers.com to get information about UCSD study abroad program.
There were a lot of foreigners studying at UCLA during those summer months and some American teenagers taking the summer courses. In my later clique, however, I was the youngest at 18.
The classes (I had taken two courses) were very demanding and I had trouble following at first. One had to read and prepare oneself, especially outside of the hours, which took up only a few hours of the day. If I hadn’t been there mainly for fun and to speak English, I would have had to learn a lot, which mostly American students did. In my opinion, the professors were very competent and always tried to respond to their students, so that I always felt very comfortable. To me, the UCLA campus often seemed more like its own village with lots of restaurants, shops and beautiful buildings.
The accommodation was simple but well-kept, and in the great weather you were mostly outside anyway and the food left nothing to be desired. Everyone had always been open and friendly to me.
Everything I experienced in Los Angeles is of much greater importance to me today than the lessons. I’ve seen the most important parts of the city, I’ve been to Disney Land and Universal Studios, I’ve done a lot of shopping and the beach and tried to hit the famous clubs in the evenings. However, if you are not yet 21, you have little chance of getting into the trendy discos and bars. So-called “frat parties” take place at least once a week in the fraternity houses, where you are always welcome. If you don’t feel like partying, there are plenty of other employment opportunities: you can go to the cinema, to the large fitness rooms at the university, to the large television rooms (where we watched the World Cup in hostile groups;
.Since UCLA is right downtown, it wasn’t a problem to hop on the streetcar and head to neighboring Beverly Hills or to the beautiful Santa Monica Beach to hope for stars However, you should never travel alone, as Los Angeles is unmanageably large and in some corners not dangerous.
When my summer came to an end, it was already very difficult for me to leave this incredibly lively city. I experienced so many exciting things and met people from all over the world. These six weeks have made me even more self-confident and mature, although it was “actually” only six weeks full of fun and excitement.
For me, Los Angeles is a very fast, impulsive, but also exhausting city, where I felt like I was at the center of the whole world. The atmosphere at the university was above all relaxed and international. You’ve never been alone, and I don’t think there’s anything that UCLA can’t offer its students.
All in all, I can only recommend a stay in the city of angels and advise everyone to take everything that this city has to offer. Worth it!
