As Study Abroad Deadline Approaches, Students Reflect on their Experience

Study abroad promotes the academic, professional, and personal growth of undergraduates at Bryn Mawr College. With over 80 pre-approved programs in 30 countries, nearly half of the junior class will study abroad in their time at Bryn Mawr.

With the upcoming final deadline for all study abroad applications for the 2025-26 academic year on February 14th, take a look at reflections from students who went abroad in Fall 2024.

Sophie Sweeting '26- APA Paris

Literatures in English major, Sociology and French minor

Along with vastly improving my French language skills, studying abroad taught me so much. I returned from the experience feeling much more independent and confident in myself. One thing that I had not expected to find in Paris were the amazing, wonderful people who also go to school in south-eastern PA! This picture is of me and my friends at Versailles. Out of the six of us, four go to Bryn Mawr, and two go to Swarthmore. These are people who I’ve been going to school with for two years, but it took going to another country for us to really get to know each other.

I experienced so much during my time in Paris. I spent time in museums, castles, and theaters, but I’ve realized that you don’t need to go to another country to expand your world. I’ve come back to Bryn Mawr excited to get more involved in campus life, feeling confident to put myself out there in a way that I wasn’t before my time abroad. Out of all the souvenirs I brought back, the best one by far is the friendships I’ve made.  

Lindsay Damon '25- DIS Copenhagen

Environmental Studies major, Cities minor

I think that the best part of studying abroad is that it challenges your assumptions about the way the world works. As an environmental studies major, I’m always thinking about ways to make the world a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable place – in many ways, Copenhagen has that figured out! Learning about Denmark's climate and environmental infrastructure has opened my eyes to solutions that I didn’t even think were possible.

I’ll always remember the night that I polar plunged into the ocean during my last week in Copenhagen. My friends – a mix of other DIS students and German ERASMUS students - piled into a rental car, drove to the ocean, and jumped into the freezing water. We ended the night with takeout pizza and Secret Santa!

Charlotte Oehley '26- IES Granada

Literatures in English major, Spanish minor

My time abroad allowed me to enhance my language studies by applying them to a real-life immersive experience. I had been told so many times that language immersion was the best way to improve my Spanish, but I had no idea how true that was or how much it would advance my Spanish studies here at Bryn Mawr now that I have real-life experience to apply to my learning. 

I had the opportunity to travel to so many amazing places, like Morocco, Paris, and Dublin. I had never had the chance to travel by myself before, so I really valued being able to exercise my independence in that way.

Jackie Araujo '26- SIT Morocco

Political Science and Sociology double major, Latin American, Iberian, and Latina/o Studies minor

My time in Morocco enriched what I am studying here at Bryn Mawr by allowing me to be immersed in the field of study that I am interested in–migration. At SIT, I participated in the program on Migration Practices, which allowed me to go beyond what I have studied and directly see NGOs working with migrants from different countries. 

The biggest takeaway from my time in Morocco would be the friends and experiences. Being abroad was a great opportunity to learn Arabic and be able to practice it with the community I was living in, with students I met there and with my host family. In addition, this program allowed me to intern at an NGO with the purpose to gain experience and continue my learning in this field of study. But my ALL-TIME favorite part of my time in Morocco was the FOOD! 

Catie Kirk '26- King's College London, UK

Physics major, intended Math minor

During my time abroad, I took two physics courses: thermodynamics and symmetry in physics. These were both 2^nd year courses (the UK university system is 3 years), and I particularly enjoyed my thermodynamics course. I found that the UK system required more independent pacing because there was less weekly work, but final exams were weighted heavily—so it was my responsibility to make sure I fully understood the course material. This experience taught me how to teach myself course material when necessary, and I adapted to different study habits than I have at Bryn Mawr. Now that I have studied at a large school, I have a better appreciation for what makes Bryn Mawr special.

I made three close friends while I was abroad. One of them is a permanent student at KCL, and the other two were also study-abroad students. I really cherish the time I spent with them. I’m so grateful for the three months that we spent together, and I hope to visit all of them! I’m also really happy that I was able to visit several of my Bryn Mawr friends who were also abroad, and I got to see what their abroad experience was like :)

I also traveled to Venice with two friends I made while abroad! I unintentionally recreated a photo that my mom took there 34 years prior! My friends and I took the train throughout Italy for a week, which was wonderful.

Laurel Gabbard '26- IES Granada

History of Art and Spanish major, Museum Studies minor

As a double major in Spanish and History of Art at Bryn Mawr, not only did my time abroad strengthen my Spanish skills, but it also introduced me to a whole new world of art history. I found myself surrounded by Andalusian art and architecture that I had never learned about before. That experience has profoundly changed and inspired my interest in the field of Art History. 

Something I will take with me from my time in Granada is the constant reminder of how far language can take someone. While living in a homestay and making local friends, my language abilities allowed me to connect with people from many different backgrounds, and I feel eternally grateful for that.  

Sara Pratt '26- DIS Copenhagen

Growth and Structure of Cities major, Philosophy minor 

Most of my classes abroad were focused on some aspects of urban studies – adaptive reuse, public infrastructure and design, food culture and spaces, etc. As a result, I was given the opportunity to explore Copenhagen through the lens of my Cities major. I found that my academic interests pushed me to examine things like public transportation, pedestrian planning, built spaces/community spaces, and housing, all of which added to my understanding and experience of Copenhagen. My professors abroad were also incredibly engaged in the material and focused on basing our learning on real-life examples and experiences. This allowed me to connect what I was learning with my time outside of the classroom. 

I loved the opportunity of being able to put myself in new situations. For example, learning how to navigate riding a bike in Copenhagen was intimidating at first, but by the end of my time there, it became the highlight of my day. Another example is wandering around new cities like Edinburgh or Berlin and learning about their public transportation systems, despite being new and unknown to me. I think studying abroad inherently requires you to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, and I’m grateful that I was able to practice that skill and remain open to new and exciting opportunities!

Olivia Flores '26- APA Paris

Comparative Literature major, French and Film Studies minor

As a Comparative Literature major studying literatures in English and French, both of my French immersion programs allowed me to experience the culture and language I've had the pleasure of studying at Bryn Mawr. During my semester in Paris, I took classes at the Université Paris 8 as an exchange student, which gave me insight into a completely different system of higher education. My study abroad experience allowed me to engage in complex lectures and discussions with French students and examine the impacts of French literature and film on their culture. My programs also encouraged me to engage in French culture outside of the classroom, whether that be through attending theater performances during the Festival d'Avignon or going on weekend excursions to Bourgogne and Normandy.

Out of everything I had the pleasure of seeing and learning in France, the most important thing I'll take away is the friendships I made with those in my programs. There is something so special and unique about the bonds you make while experiencing a new country with a different language and different customs with a group of people. Very quickly, those who were once strangers are now suddenly great friends!