A Guide to Liverpool Study Abroad

Maren Butenhoff ’19, Lauren Richardson ’19, Kara Lee ’20, and Mattea Nybo ’19 ventured off to Liverpool, England, for a spring semester abroad. We asked them to share some of their experiences and top tips for studying in Liverpool.

What did you like about Liverpool?

Kara: ​I loved Liverpool because of the atmosphere and the people were so friendly and fun. People want to get to know you, which gives it more of a small town feel. The city is hip, growing and lively, so there was never a shortage of new things to do or see! Liverpool was the right choice for me because it was the perfect size city. It’s bigger than what I’m used to but small enough that it feels comfortable and it’s easy to get around.

Lauren: My favorite part was the people. I felt as if I could walk in anywhere and have good, deep conversations with people. I like the accessibility and being able to walk everywhere and that there are so many diverse things to do there.

Mattea: When people ask me this question, I say the people and the dogs. There are so many dogs and they all look like their owners! I think it was the right choice for me because I had my three friends with me and it’s a central place to travel to other cities and countries. Overall, it was the best place I could have gone.

What adjustments did you have to make?

Kara: Besides the time difference, I definitely had to make some adjustments. I had to learn how to get around without a car by using public transportation or my own legs and to keep the conversion rate at a forefront when buying anything. I had to get used to eating potatoes at every meal and to appreciate a much slower pace of life.

Lauren: I really enjoyed the Liverpool lifestyle – it’s more simple and laid back. They only worry about the things that you should worry about and nothing more. Liverpool taught me that you don’t have to be overinvolved and participate in everything – it’s OK to relax.

Mattea: It was my first time abroad, so just the architecture was the biggest change for me. I was always staring at everything. 

Maren: The people in Liverpool are very content with what they have. England’s weather isn’t the best, yet everyone seems so happy. They are very go-with-the-flow and aren’t rushing to anything. Usually when we would eat, we would take three or four hours.

What was unique about the campus and classes?

Lauren: Instead of having weekly homework, we were given one project that you would work on up to the very end of the semester. For me, the class structures really mattered because I transferred to Concordia so everything had to match up really well.

Kara: The grading system and expectations of students from professors are very different from the States. In the U.K., 70-100 percent is an A with 86-100 being publishable work and to pass you need to get at least 38 percent.

Best study spots?

Mattea: Rococo Coffee House, which is hidden in the city center. It’s really cool because there are a bunch of chairs and couches. It’s very much a hang out and study space.

Lauren: Sefton Park is a beautiful area to get work done.

Kara: The library on campus was one of our favorite places to study because of the Harry Potter-esque building and cool window seats.

Best places to hang out?

Maren: Baltic Triangle, Love Thy Neighbor, various places on Lark Lane, On the Pallet, The Lodge, Redfort, Milo’s, the Royal Albert Dock area, Concert Square, White Wolf, Freida Mo’s

Where did you travel?

Mattea: Together we went to Scotland, Greece, Belgium, and Portugal. Some of us went to Ireland, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco, and Paris. We also went to Wales and London, Chester, Oxford and Crosby Beach in England.

Easiest way to travel?

Mattea: Walking, the train and busing for classes; RyanAir for flying outside of the country.

Kara: If you are flying, I can’t recommend enough the website and app Skyscanner for finding cheap flights. Plug in the departure place and put “everywhere” as your destination and it’ll show you all the places in the world you can travel from cheapest to most expensive.

Advice to someone who is considering studying abroad in Liverpool?

Lauren: Do it! Give it a chance and you’ll love it.

Maren: Keep in mind what you’re studying. If you’re a person that really cares about the weather, I would consider elsewhere. Otherwise, if you are a huge people person, just go.

Kara: I would say do some of your own research about the program and the city, but the biggest thing is to talk to people who have studied there already. It makes such a difference to hear people’s personal experiences and stories of a place.

Tips on saving up and budgeting for studying abroad?

Lauren: As fun as it is to shop there, don’t shop that much. If you do, I would wait until you go to unique places. Don’t get things like knickknacks that you can get anywhere.

Mattea: I would say it’s hard to save. There are so many awesome experiences that you will want to spend your money on. Enjoy your experience.

Kara: Set aside a certain portion of each check into your travel jar. It will add up quickly. Also, it doesn’t hurt to ask family for money for Christmas or a birthday. They will most likely be supportive and gladly help you out.

Maren: I would try your best to cook for yourself more often. Explore the food but be mindful. We went out a lot while we were there. I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself though because dining out is a good thing to do while you’re there. It’s a great experience.

Packing tips?

Lauren: My bag weighed 50 pounds on the way there and 70 on the way back. Pack light!

Mattea: Take less. I would say on your way there take much less than you think you should. You’ll acquire so much during your time abroad.

Maren: Pack things that are very versatile like neutrals that you can wear with lots of different accessories.

Kara: I would recommend bringing only one checked bag, a backpack, and a purse or another small bag that you can bring on weekend trips. That might sound intimidating, but it’s worth it.

Did you plan to go together?

Lauren: We didn’t all really know each other going into it. We became best friends over the first semester and then studied abroad together.

Maren: We also made two other close friends. One is from Belgium and one is from Wisconsin.

Mattea: I made new friends and was able to have amazing experiences with some of my best friends from home.

 ^{Published September 2018}