McKenzie Harris: September 28th, 2023
After being here for almost four weeks, it sometimes feels like I have my neighborhood figured out. But I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of Prague and its mazes of streets. I’m excited to get to know the layout of the city and its activities better as the months go on. From what I’ve seen and explored so far, Prague never disappoints. From underground karaoke in an Irish pub, to the Mucha Museum, to Charles Bridge, every new experience sits glowing in my memories. And there’s always something more to do—to the point where the number of options and plans can actually be sort of stressful (more on that later). I’ve never lived in a big city, so the vibrant and constant energy here is new and fun for me to experience. To be fair, I think the frenetic pace of studying-abroad university students is probably not an accurate representation of all city life. For example, in my neighborhood, I’ll see parents bringing their kids to school or people walking their dogs and it reminds me that most of the people here are just living quiet lives with their families, just like anywhere else.
Since this is technically one of my official “arrival” posts for the travel writing program, I’ll summarize my experience so far with academics, students, extracurriculars, and getting settled into my life here.
^The view from my perch on the upper floor of the Prague Municipal Library^
Academics:
So far, my classes have been quite a lot of work. Home at Western, I’m used to having several classes made up of lectures, readings, and/or discussions, with an occasional exam or essay. Maybe once or less per quarter, I’d have a project or presentation. Here, however, all of my classes are largely project and presentation-based. Since projects are more work than writing for me, and I find presentations stressful, these classes will be a bigger burden than I’m used to in college. Before coming here, I promised myself that I would not let academics control my time here, because for once I’m in a position where I have more important things to do (experience a new city and culture, etc). I realized a few days ago, after a few weeks of diligently doing all of my optional readings and assignments, that I’ve neglected that goal. So I’ve decided to start doing the absolute bare minimum for my classes while still completing all of my graded assignments. (Sorry for any teachers or academic advisors at WWU who might be reading this). I don’t view this as me being careless or lazy; it’s just me straightening out my priorities a bit.
Another subject related to my academics here is that I like University of New York in Prague, but I should have done more research on the school before deciding on this program. One of the main reasons for me to study abroad was to experience my chosen subjects of study in a globally-minded way—to get a new perspective on psychology and environmental studies outside of the American education system. Unfortunately, UNYP is (as you can guess from the name) an American-style school, and I feel like I’m lacking the chance to learn from a European point of view. So for any prospective WWU EdAbroad students reading these blogs to help plan your trip, I highly recommend that you pay attention to the programs’ host schools in addition to the host city.
^From a recent daytrip to Kutna Hora–the St. Barbara’s Cathedral^
Activities outside of school:
In addition to socializing and exploring the city on my own time, I’ve been able to join a few extracurriculars which have added to my experiences here. My music psychology professor recently invited me to join a choir that he directs at a local school. We’ll be learning some Christmas carols to perform at a Christmas concert in December! This was so exciting for me because I’ve been missing music since I’ve been here.
UNYP also has an international friends club, which organizes events where study abroad students can meet locals and do fun things around town. My flatmates and I joined this club and have enjoyed their outings so far.
How I’ve been managing my time:
I’ve been trying to balance my priorities but it’s been a little difficult. One reason is that there’s a very tricky balance between making my experience here as full as possible, and making time for my mental health and rest. When in a city full of options (as I mentioned earlier), it can make me feel guilty to spend time resting at my apartment or doing homework. But I know that I need a lot of rest and quiet time as a person, and if I fill my days too intensely at the beginning of my trip, I might burn out and make myself stressed and sad later. So I’m trying to know when I should make extra plans and when I should take time to stay home. I haven’t really figured it out yet.
The other reason it’s difficult to decide on my plans is that I often find myself choosing between doing something I don’t feel like doing or alienating myself from my friends here. There’s a lot of social politics involved with missing group outings! So I’m working on knowing when to independently do what I want vs. when to do something I hadn’t planned to do for the sake of socializing. It’s hard to explain, but it’s been bothering me lately and I hope to resolve the issue eventually.
Overall, I’ve been really enjoying my time here, and I’ve made so many memories already that I can only look forward to all the ones I’ll make in the coming weeks.
^also from Kutna Hora–the statue walkway on top of the hill^