As I’ve mentioned, getting adjusted to the academic culture has been the hardest part about assimilating to life across the pond. Especially coming after coop, the different classes, different professors, and different learning styles makes getting into the class routine much harder. That being said though, the staff at the University of Edinburgh has been extremely accommodating. There are a number of people dedicated to helping students and some specifically for international students. The International Student Group puts on numerous events in Edinburgh, and all around Scotland to facilitate international students meeting other international students. There’s an organization called Advice Place that helps all students at the university with everything you can think of. Additionally, every student is assigned a personal tutor, or guidance counselor upon arrival. The tutor is there for you to ask any questions you might have about academic life and are part of the college in which you are studying.
The professors here are amazing as well, and they have all been very understanding with the international students. Two of the classes I’m taking overlap every once in awhile, and both professors were eager to work with me to ensure I didn’t have to drop one of them. My favorite professor so far is my Engineering Geology and Surveying Professor. He is very energetic and always keeps his lectures lively and interesting. In his tutorial sections, or recitations, he provides numerous examples and pictures to make sure students understand the different topics. He also took the students on a field trip to Arthur’s Seat, an inactive volcano, to show us the interesting geological features there. Although the day we went was freezing and my classmate and I don’t look particularly happy in the picture, the field trip was really cool.
