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About Virginia O'Connor

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So far Virginia O'Connor has created 128 blog entries.

How I Turned My Study Abroad Experience into a Foodie Adventure

2025-11-21T11:51:53-08:00

Planning to study abroad? UC Santa Barbara student Jacob Dicker turned his European adventure into a food lover's quest, discovering everything from affordable Michelin-starred brunches to hidden food halls. Here's his insider's guide to eating well on a student budget, including the three best apps for finding amazing food abroad and why Copenhagen might just beat Paris as Europe's top foodie destination.

How I Turned My Study Abroad Experience into a Foodie Adventure2025-11-21T11:51:53-08:00

Make It Last: 5 Creative Ways Students Documented Their Time Abroad

2025-11-20T15:33:04-08:00

Your study abroad experience will fly by in a blur of new cities, late-night conversations, and unforgettable moments. But how do you hold onto those memories beyond a camera roll full of photos? Five UC students share the creative ways they documented their time abroad.

Make It Last: 5 Creative Ways Students Documented Their Time Abroad2025-11-20T15:33:04-08:00

How to Grow Confidence Abroad: Lessons from My Barcelona Garden

2025-11-20T15:20:05-08:00

Brooke McKenna Taylor (UC Santa Cruz) shares how she cultivated confidence during her semester in Barcelona—one pepper seed, one Spanish conversation, and one mint plant at a time. Through the metaphor of tending plants, she explores the patience required for language learning, cultural adaptation, and personal growth abroad. Her honest reflection reminds us that transformation doesn't happen overnight—it grows from the roots up.

How to Grow Confidence Abroad: Lessons from My Barcelona Garden2025-11-20T15:20:05-08:00

Why We Went: Seven Different Reasons to Study Abroad

2025-09-21T05:18:59-07:00

UC students choose to study abroad for many reasons. From building a Mexican identity in México to finding unexpected joy in Ireland's quiet moments, five UC students share how study abroad transformed their lives in surprising ways. Their stories challenge common assumptions about the "right way" to study abroad or even attend college.

Why We Went: Seven Different Reasons to Study Abroad2025-09-21T05:18:59-07:00

Inside Sweden’s Student Culture: Traditions That Unite Two Historic Universities

2025-09-17T13:08:59-07:00

Step into Sweden's vibrant university culture, where centuries-old traditions shape daily student life in unexpected ways. From racing tandem bikes across the country to joining medieval student nations, UC Berkeley students Max Morena and Stella Keval discovered that studying abroad in Sweden means becoming part of a legacy where formal dinners include napkin-tossing rituals, stress relief comes in the form of collective 10 PM screams, and coffee breaks are elevated to an art form. They reveal how these distinctive traditions transform international students into cultural insiders at Uppsala and Lund Universities.

Inside Sweden’s Student Culture: Traditions That Unite Two Historic Universities2025-09-17T13:08:59-07:00

All the Ways Study Abroad Tests and Strengthens Your Identity

2025-09-15T09:41:32-07:00

Three UC students discover how study abroad transforms identity in unexpected ways. Their stories reveal that studying abroad doesn't require choosing between who you are and who you might become—instead, it creates space for both authentic identity and personal growth.

All the Ways Study Abroad Tests and Strengthens Your Identity2025-09-15T09:41:32-07:00

Unforgettable Lessons from 5 Questions Asked in 5 Cities Abroad

2025-08-26T07:44:56-07:00

What happens when a Type-A planner loses her wallet in Berlin? When is a €15 burger worth it? Through five European cities and five crucial questions, Alyson Lee (UC Berkeley) discovers that the best study abroad lessons come from embracing the unexpected. From Paris's Instagram expectations to Madrid's humble revelations, these are the moments that transform tourist experiences into life-changing wisdom.

Unforgettable Lessons from 5 Questions Asked in 5 Cities Abroad2025-08-26T07:44:56-07:00

The First 24 Hours: Two Stories of What Can Go Wrong Abroad

2025-08-26T10:58:16-07:00

When two UC students, Justine Pendergraft (UC Los Angeles) and Maria Newman (UC Berkeley) arrived for their study abroad programs—one in Berlin, one in Paris—they faced every traveler's worst nightmares within their first 24 hours. These are the unexpected and valuable lessons study abroad teaches you. They each discovered that those dreaded "what if" scenarios from predeparture orientation aren't just warnings—they were opportunities to prove just how resourceful you can be.

The First 24 Hours: Two Stories of What Can Go Wrong Abroad2025-08-26T10:58:16-07:00

How a Broken Wrist in Barcelona Taught Me Resilience

2025-08-19T15:51:25-07:00

During her study abroad experience in Barcelona, UC Santa Cruz student Lila Franco faced an unexpected challenge when a fall led to a double wrist fracture requiring surgery. Despite this setback, she found strength in the experience and used it as an opportunity to share valuable safety tips with future study abroad students, turning her "permanent souvenir" into a lesson in resilience.

How a Broken Wrist in Barcelona Taught Me Resilience2025-08-19T15:51:25-07:00
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