UCEAP News and Features
  • Categories
    • All Stories
    • Academics
    • Career Prep
    • Choosing a Program
    • Funding Tips
    • Health & Wellness
    • In Photo
    • Local Living
    • Personal Growth
    • Returning to California
    • Scholars Abroad
  • News and Announcements
  • Contact Us
Select Page
Re-imagining My Self Image in Scotland

Re-imagining My Self Image in Scotland

by Jennifer Monroe | Apr 20, 2026 | Europe, Personal Growth, UC Santa Barbara

by Sadie Bijlsma (UC Santa Barbara) studied abroad in Edinburgh The Promise of Eternal Beauty On the Isle of Skye in Scotland, there is a river that is rumored to have been enchanted by fairies. According to Scottish folklore, if you dip your face into the waters...
All the Ways Study Abroad Tests and Strengthens Your Identity

All the Ways Study Abroad Tests and Strengthens Your Identity

by Jennifer Monroe | Apr 20, 2026 | Home Feature, Personal Growth, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA

Contributors: Keren Dror (UC Los Angeles), Annika Jorgensen (UC Berkeley), and Mercedes Lefiti (UC Santa Cruz) We all pack certain things for study abroad: maybe a favorite snack, a photo, a childhood stuffie to remind us of home. Each of us also carries something...
5 Steps to Break the Comfort Zone Trap and Adopt a Study Abroad Mindset

5 Steps to Break the Comfort Zone Trap and Adopt a Study Abroad Mindset

by Virginia O'Connor | Apr 20, 2026 | Home Feature, Personal Growth, UC Berkeley

By Monique Evdokiou (UC Berkeley), studied abroad in Rome, Italy Prior to starting my study abroad experience, I felt confident that I was more than prepared. To get ready for the experience, I had a group of friends that I already knew attending the program. I was...
How Embracing Uncertainty Led to My Greatest Adventure

How Embracing Uncertainty Led to My Greatest Adventure

by Virginia O'Connor | Apr 20, 2026 | Europe, Home Feature, Personal Growth, UC Irvine

By Valerie Elizabeth Cruz (UC Irvine) studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland Like many first-generation college students, I started my journey at UC Irvine with a desperate need for a concrete plan. I had no idea what my undergraduate career would manifest, and as a...
Make It Last: 5 Creative Ways Students Documented Their Time Abroad

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

by Jennifer Monroe | Mar 31, 2026 | Australia and Oceania, Europe, Personal Growth, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego

Contributors: Annika Sundberg (UC Berkeley), Chloe Margulis (UC San Diego), Corra Nordheim (UC San Diego), Jolene Marie Ku (UC Davis), Leanna Chin (UC San Diego), 2024 blog writing contestants You’ll take thousands of photos during your study abroad...
An Introvert’s Guide to Study Abroad

An Introvert’s Guide to Study Abroad

by Virginia O'Connor | Mar 31, 2026 | Europe, Personal Growth, UCLA

Jillian Jimenez (UC Los Angeles) studied abroad in Edinburgh Making the decision to study abroad—leaving behind friends, family, and everything familiar—can be daunting. For introverts, or anyone who recharges or feels the most relaxed during moments of solitude, the...
« Older Entries

Study Abroad Program: Lund University, Sweden
Program Location: Lund, Sweden
Other Countries Visited: Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria,
Hungary, and Norway

Home University: UC Berkeley
Major:  Bioengineering
Year: Junior (Graduating Spring 2017)

Alison Long is a rising senior studying tissue engineering and drug delivery at UC Berkeley. She loves spending time outdoors, hiking, biking and playing soccer. As a nature enthusiast, her travels involved exploring national parks and canvassing tulip festivals around Europe. In her free time, Alison enjoys painting and watching cooking competitions on the Food Network.