Name: Molly Sullivan
Class/Graduation Year: 2020
Major/Degree: Biomedical Engineering (Biomaterials and Tissue)
What semester/months and year did you study abroad?
I studied abroad during the spring semester of 2019.
How and when did you begin preparing for studying abroad?
During the summer of 2018, I started to look up programs to see what schools had the classes I needed to take, and if they would transfer over equivalently.
How did you financially plan for study abroad?
I worked during the school year in order to save up money to use for traveling while abroad.
Why Dublin (Ireland)?
The University College Dublin (UCD) had the courses I needed to take in order to graduate on time, and I am almost 100% Irish so I thought it would be cool to study there
What University did you attend?
University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland
What courses did you take?
Biomedical Instrumentation (BME 480)
Transport Phenomena (BME 450)
Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering (BME 565)
Music in Ireland
Which course was your favorite?
Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering
How did the courses fit into your academic path?
The courses transferred over into the equivalent classes in my major allowing me to complete some of the required curriculum.
There is an assumption that engineers can’t study abroad because their academic schedules are just too intense. What can you say about this? Is it a ‘myth’? How difficult is it, truly?
It is definitely doable, especially if you are ahead a few classes due to AP or summer class credits. As long as you find the equivalent classes abroad, you will still be on track to graduate on time. For me, I took three classes abroad and am now have 14 credits this semester, and 12 the next, so going abroad did not set me back; however it is definitely helpful to come in a few classes ahead so it is not as much of a burden abroad. That aside, I was still able to travel many weekends and enjoy my time abroad despite still taking curriculum courses.
What skill-sets have or did you learned at UMCoE that allowed you to excel/succeed in your college career – and study abroad?
Time management and efficiency is a big one, being able to balance traveling and exploring abroad with classes is a difficult task, but one that UM classes have prepared students for.
What did you do during your free time?
I got very lucky with the roommates and friends I made, and together we traveled to several different countries and cities, as well as joined a surf club and mountaineering club which took trips within Ireland throughout the semester.
Was it easy to meet local residents?
In Ireland the locals are all very friendly, if a little bit quiet at first, but because there is really no language barrier, it was pretty easy to communicate and make friends with them. Joining clubs at the university also helped a lot, and I am still in touch with some of my Irish friends.
What were your favorite local places?
Being in Dublin, there were a lot of cool parks and pubs, and even the streets were entertaining to walk and hear street performers. At a pub called Doyle’s, “Ruby Sessions” occurred every Tuesday, where you are able to see four live musicians perform four songs for 7 dollars in the small upstairs portion of the pub. Musicians like Ed Sheeran, George Ezra, Mumford and Son’s and James Blunt all played there in their early days, which was a really cool environment to experience.
What were your living accommodations?
I was in an apartment complex north of the Liffey River, about 30 minutes on public transportation to the university.
What was your greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge was probably the difference with regards to grading and weighting. The scale is different and final exams generally made up 70-90% of your overall grade, which put a lot of pressure on the final and didn’t allow you to particularly check what you were learning as you were going through the semester. It was an adjustment, but definitely manageable.
How did living in Dublin improve your language skills?
English is the first language in Dublin, but it was really interesting to hear Gaelic (Celtic) spoken occasionally. The language is dying, but the bus system still used it to announce stops, and in the countryside I heard it spoken and its complexity is astonishing.
What was your fondest memory?
It’s hard to pick one in particular, but I would say being able to go on a trip to the western coast of Ireland with the surf club, and surfing during a hailstorm, which was immediately followed by the appearance of a rainbow.
Has study abroad influenced how you perceive yourself?
I think it has helped put into perspective how other cultures and countries live as opposed to the lifestyle in America, and helped me realize that things do not always need to be so fast-paced and intense, but that it’s okay to take some time to relax, explore and experience things for oneself.
How did you apply the skills you developed by studying abroad?
I’ve gotten a lot better at balancing the things I enjoy to do in my free time with study and work obligations, and how to optimize that in order to be happiest.
Has study abroad influenced your career path?
I am now considering working abroad at some point in the future, or pursuing a graduate degree in a program abroad.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to incoming students?
Just do it!
