LLB Student Evie Wallwork has just finished her first semester of studying at Université Paris I – Sorbonne in France. She overcame struggles in the first few weeks and is now thriving, and can’t wait to see what semester 2 has in store!

So far, my year abroad has been the most nourishing and enriching experience of my life. I could not recommend it enough! 

During my arrival I did struggle – I did not know anyone, I could not understand the language the same way I did in class, the shops were different to what I was used to at home. This caused feelings of alienation and isolation as I could not communicate the way I wanted to, nor could I understand my environment which led to feeling home sick.  

Additionally, the academic side of the exchange presented further struggles. Having adjusted to the academic approach at Queen Mary, stepping into a completely new method of teaching disconcerted me. The system here is primarily oral lectures whereby the students listen and then type the relevant information – a very difficult practice for me due to my language level. This struggle to make notes lead to insecurity as I felt as though I had made the wrong decision. However, after plucking up the courage to ask another student for their notes, this thought faded way and, little did I know, this simple action led to such a fond friendship. Not only did he give me his notes, he has consistently helped me with other academic areas (including exam writing and accessing the libraries) along with helping me improve my French whilst simultaneously exploring the city with me. 

In the course of the first month, I was still pretty reserved and stuck to my comfort zone, denying plans that did not fit with the routine that I had. Once I recognised this and its negative impact on my rapport building, I decided to push myself out more. I began to say ‘yes’ to any plans that were presented to me whilst also suggesting plans with others myself. This sparked the beginning of this wonderful experience. As a result, I have explored many museums, art galleries, restaurants and bars, arrondissements as well as exploring the rest of France (like Bordeaux and Strasbourg) and its neighbouring countries (like Belgium).  

I started to find my group here, fuelling me with more confidence and contentment. My environment became more familiar and my French improved massively. Although I still struggled to make sufficient notes, I could understand my lectures almost completely and could communicate more fluidly.  

Now it has been nearly three months since I arrived. Exams are around the corner which is extremely nerve-racking as they are not in my native language, however I am treating them as an opportunity to improve my French but also my skills of resilience and adaptability. Furthermore, sadly, most of the friends that I have made here will be leaving after January, yet they are friends for life, ones that I will be surely visiting whenever I can. They have taught me so much, including how big and vast the world truly is. I am so grateful to have met them!  

Despite the fact that my friends will be leaving in January, a positive is that there will be more people arriving after them. Having already gone through one semester and having seen the mistakes I made in the beginning; I will be able to approach the second semester better. This will additionally apply for my academic approach as I now know how the system works here and will be able to manage my notes more appropriately.  

Overall, the time I have spent here already has been incredible. The experiences and knowledge I have gained will forever be invaluable. I am incredibly grateful to have been offered this opportunity and would highly recommend any other student to do the same.