Gearing Up

When I started at the U, I was curious about studying abroad, but with a demanding pre-medical schedule and a structured major, I didn’t think it was something that I could fit in. However, that all unexpectedly changed when, during my sophomore year, the Honors College adapted their first-year cohort program to pilot at the Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon, South Korea. I applied to be a peer mentor for the first cohort of Honors freshmen, knowing that it would give me the opportunity to study abroad and still take the courses I needed to graduate. Little did I know those four months abroad would change the trajectory of my life.

Embracing the Future

From the moment we arrived, the UAC made the transition to studying abroad easy. A shuttle full of UAC student ambassadors picked us up at the airport and they helped us move into our dorms, fed us our first Korean meal, and shared advice for adapting to our new home. Because the UAC is an extension of the SLC campus, classes have the same academic standards and are all in English, so I didn’t need to worry about transferring credits or staying on track with my pre-med requirements.

I immediately found a welcoming community of other students, and while I was often the only American in my friend group, we were all connected through the Utah spirit. Sixty percent of the students attending UAC are from Korea and, unlike other exchange programs, all students study on the same campus, regardless of their native language. That gave me the incredible opportunity to interface with new cultures and expand my comfort zone daily!

I was surprised by how quickly I adapted to living in Korea. My friends and I explored local night markets and cafés, and even took trips to Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan thanks to the airport near campus. Some of my best memories were school-sponsored field trips, like an overnight stay in a Buddhist temple where we learned about living a monastic lifestyle. Another weekend, we visited the DMZ between North and South Korea, which reshaped the way I thought about geopolitics and U.S. foreign policy.

A Global Perspective

Other than mounds of Korean skincare products, I came back to the United States with a newfound global perspective. While I missed the convenience of public transit, affordable meals, and the day-to-day culture of South Korea, I came away with a better understanding of what “home” and “community” mean to me. I discovered that it was the friendships and connections I formed, not the distance from my house, that gave me a true sense of belonging.

Since that first semester in spring 2024, I’ve returned to Korea four times, recently completed a summer semester at UAC, and serve as student ambassador for the Asia Campus. My journey to studying abroad was unexpected but saying yes opened doors I previously didn’t know existed. Now, I encourage all students to consider studying abroad and seize unexpected opportunities, especially incoming students. My time at the UAC provided me with lifelong friendships, a global perspective, and the confidence to navigate a new environment and culture. I know I am a better student and person because of it.