By: Stephanie Hogan
Hi! My name is Stephanie, and I am a fourth-year student at UWSP pursuing my BFA in Acting with a minor in Arts Management. This past summer, I studied abroad in London through UWSP’s Theatre in London program, and I had a blast!
I first heard about the Theatre in London trip when I was a freshman, and I knew it was something that I wanted to do. I have always wanted to travel abroad, and I have especially always wanted to travel to London. My Grandma and Grandpa went to London when they were younger, and when I was growing up, they would tell us all about the amazing things that they were able to see together, and all of the memories that they were able to make. London has so many historical places and a great city life. Plus, it also has an incredible theatre and art scene. I knew that this travel abroad opportunity through UWSP was not one that I wanted to miss!
My application process was honestly a pretty easy one. I remember having to write a short essay about myself and all of the reasons why I wanted to study abroad in London. After that, I paid the $100 application fee and finished my application. The advising team at the Office of Internation Education is amazing. They helped me with all of the next steps and making sure that I understood the necessities and requirements for the trip. Figuring out the technicalities of any trip, especially one that is directly related to your education, can be overwhelming. I can easily say that I never once felt alone throughout the entire process. The people at OIE, as well as my faculty mentor for the trip, always made sure to check in with us and make sure that we felt 100% ready.
The Theatre in London study abroad program spans about 3 weeks throughout the month of June. The majority of our classwork included a journal that we were expected to write in and update every day. These journal entries were designed for us to reflect on all of the experiences we had while in London, including masterclasses we attended, the places that we visited, and especially the impressions and observations that we had on each of the professional shows that we were required to see as a group and their connection to our main coursework as students at UWSP. I learned so much while studying abroad in London, not only about my experience as an artist and as a student, but also about myself as an individual, the career that I want to lead, and the person that I want to be.
My favorite part about studying abroad in London was that I was able to experience everything with many of my favorite people in the world. Every day, I was surrounded by the friends that I made during some of my first days as a student at UWSP, as well as the incredible mentors that I have had the privilege of working with as an acting major. Furthermore, I not only got to build upon the relationships that I already had, but I also got to meet so many new people and create new strong friendships. Every day in London, I was surrounded by incredible theatre and art, and I got to experience it all with my best friends. Together, we made memories that will last a lifetime, and that is something I will always be thankful for.
