My time abroad was such an amazing time in my life thus far. After these 5 short months, I can say I have gone from 1 country (the USA) to 11 countries! I got to meet new people, explore the world with others and by myself, and gain so much confidence. I stayed in Dublin as my home base, and would highly recommend a semester at UCD (University College Dublin), for any students who want to go abroad! Ireland speaks English, so it is super easy to integrate and learn your way in and around the country. There were plenty of other abroad students, which made the transition easy, as well as so many different organizations you can get involved in. Additionally, all of the classes that I took abroad I got credit for at UA, 4 out of the 5 being directly for my degree, civil engineering. UCD has plenty of classes that UA has core equivalencies with, so it makes it super easy to go abroad. I recommend looking at the course equivalencies database if you have any questions about if an entire semester abroad is for you. If you have any inkling at all that you want to study abroad, follow it! Even if you have never been out of the country, or are scared to go alone, do it! Doing things that make you uncomfortable is a great way to grow as a person. I am so thankful to UA Abroad and UCD for this experience, and cannot stress enough how much fun and growth one has while abroad!
