Editor's Note: Director for Global Communications Marta Schneider and Analicia Haynes, the storytelling and social media expert for Global Communications, interviewed Karpel while visiting Queen Mary University of London on April 7, 2024.
LONDON — Becki Karpel, a finance major at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, sat at a picnic table outside of the Ground Café at Queen Mary University of London on a windy and chilly April day.
For a half hour, Karpel answered questions and shared insights on her study abroad journey, which didn’t start with London in mind.
At first, she was going to follow her friends to Madrid, then she was considering Tel-Aviv. When those programs didn’t work out, she thought she wasn’t going to study abroad after all.
Fortunately, she learned of a few open programs that happened to be in London, and she never looked back.
“It kind of just, like, fell into my lap, I would say, but I’m very glad it happened,” she said. “Like I always say, everything happens for a reason. You’re going to stress out for different reasons, but (you should) also just let things (happen) and just experience what is meant to be.”
What prompted you to study abroad? Why were you interested?
Karpel said she wanted to study abroad because she wanted a brand new and unique experience.
“I think being at Illinois, on campus, you always get new experiences because it's a huge campus and there's so many people,” Karpel said. “But I really just wanted to kind of have a brand-new start. I wanted to meet new people. I wanted to take new classes through a different university and just kind of see and experience other cultures and see how other people live.”
Being able to travel abroad and continue her studies is a unique opportunity that has turned into a once in a lifetime experience.
“I think going into college I want to do everything that I can only do like really once,” Karpel said. “So, I think that's what really prompted me to do it. I knew it was like a once in a lifetime experience and I might as well do it.”
How did you pick Queen Mary and what drew you to London?
Karpel directly enrolled at Queen Mary University of London because it had a wide variety of courses she could take and offered flexibility for her schedule and major.
“This program kind of offered all kinds of different courses that I could take where it's like other programs are centered more around either engineering or like specifically this and I could have done it, but this was a lot more convenient.”
Karpel also said she liked how big the university was, and she appreciated that it already had a large international population and study abroad population.
And London’s broad diversity in life and culture was also a draw.
“What drew me to London and just the city specifically was the fact that it is a big city, so there's a lot to do and it's an international hub. There's people coming from all over the world…and there's multiple things to experience here.”
How is the coursework different from Illinois? How is the academic experience different?
Karpel said the academic experience at Queen Mary is similar but there is a lot more responsibility on the student’s part to do more work independently outside the classroom.
“Here in every single class…we have two assignments, so 40 percent of your grade is the midterm and 60 percent is the final or something of the sort. Then there’s other courses where your grade is based on your final. Like that's the only thing,” she said. “That has been very different because it means that you have to spend more time throughout the week on your own going through the (class reading or assignments) so that you're not stuck at the end.”
How do you manage stress, homesickness, or culture shock?
Karpel said ultimately what she does to manage her stress is to do things that remind her of home or set up a routine that she would have had at Illinois.
“Even if it's just small as I go for a walk before class like those small little things, kind of like that routine helps remind you of home as well… But also you're still getting a completely different experience.”
She also said she calls her friends and family to stay up to date and she journals, which is something she’s never done before.
“I like taking time to write what I've experienced, what my plans are, and what I still want to do. That kind of puts everything in one place and like it makes it easier to organize thoughts better.”
What’s next after this experience?
After finding a new appreciation for traveling, Karpel said she is already thinking about her next experience abroad.
“I met a lot of people here and we're planning that together,” she said. “I think that that's been really cool. You meet people randomly somewhere and like the next day, you're planning to go somewhere together.”
Until then, she will focus on finishing her final year at Illinois, then maybe travel in the winter or during summer 2025.
“I was thinking of doing some kind of exchange program next summer before I start full time work. I know they offer a lot of programs where you can volunteer in other places and they'll kind of help you with the tours and the housing and stuff like that.”
What's some advice that you can give people who are right at the beginning of the study abroad journey?
Karpel said giving advice is easier said than done. However, the best thing she can tell students is to always say yes to any new experience or any trip.
“Like I said before, it's a one-time life experience. If you're able to, you have to push yourself and say, ‘I'm going to try this.’”
Karpel also said although it’s not a bad thing to do what everyone else does and travel where everyone else goes, students should aim for meeting as many people as possible and look for chances to immerse themselves into local communities.
“(When you do that), it really opens your eyes and you do something that’s less touristy,” she said. “You never really know unless you try.”
Analicia Haynes is the storytelling and social media specialist for Global Communications in Illinois International. She can be reached at ahayn2@illinois.edu.