Hello! My name is Kiran Grewal and I am a junior studying Supply Chain Management. I am currently studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. A question I receive quite frequently is, “So, do you actually study when you study abroad?” And in truth, I do study, but not nearly as much as I do at UT. The reason being is that here in Prague and most European universities, the majority of the grade weights occurs at the end of the semester, with the final exam weighing most of the grade. Instead of homework assignments, there are more group projects and essays that are given throughout the semester.
Doing school work is hard when I find myself traveling every weekend to a different country, leaving the week days in Prague to attend lectures. It was easier when I didn’t have much due, but now as the end of the semester is picking up, I find myself more stressed about the upcoming deadlines. The fact that I am traveling every weekend makes it harder to procrastinate.
I tend to find myself developing more efficient time management strategies abroad that allow me to be productive during the week, so I can have the weekend off and explore a new country.
The way I have been implementing these techniques is by:
- Using my planner more religiously
- Having a checklist, so I know what I want to accomplish each day
- Bringing my laptop with me on my weekend trips so that I can get work done at the airport/train station or whenever I have some down time
- Instead of going and doing things around town, my friends and I meet at a café and do our work
I know students go to another country to study their normal curriculum courses but studying abroad is more than just attending classes. It’s gaining valuable life experiences in a foreign environment, that help shape you into who you are. I also find myself to be more independent, wanting to explore new cafes in the city and just dive deeper into what I want to do with my life, career-wise. I feel so grateful that I am able to experience a full semester in such a beautiful city. I have met such amazing people and have learned so much from my professors here. It’s bittersweet that this semester is coming to an end. I want to make the most out of the last few weeks I have here!
This post was contributed by Kiran Grewal, a 2019 Global Ambassador. Kiran is majoring in supply chain management and is studying at VSE University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic.
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