Following a semester abroad exploring the world beyond College Hill, the Class of 2026 Hamilton January admit, or “Jan,” students joined the rest of their grade on campus for the start of 2023. After traveling to London and the Turks and Caicos islands, among other destinations, Hamilton Jans now look back at their day-to-day lives, entertaining experiences and unforgettable memories spent together. Looking back on their experiences, these students offer their fellow classmates a glimpse of what Hamilton Study Abroad truly has to offer.

While studying in London, prospective Public Policy major Leia Pinals ’26 took the subway, known by London locals as “the Tube” on a daily basis, as did the rest of her classmates in order to attend classes. Maintaining a rigorous three-course per day schedule, including “Environment, Communities and the Arts,” “The London Novel,” “Introduction to Sociology” and “Cornerstone: showcasing the nation,” Pinals made sure to make the most of her surrounding environment by going to the local park and trying new foods in the area. After class, Pinals returned home to her flat via the Tube and cooked dinner with the help of her roommates before hanging out in the kitchen alongside other Hamilton students.

Outside of the classroom setting, Pinals particularly enjoyed traveling and sightseeing within London and outside the capital. With her friends, she traveled to Ireland to see the National Leprechaun Museum, in addition to Scotland and Paris. Further, during time off from class due to the “reading week,” she and other Jans traveled through Germany and Belgium, visited the British cities of Bath and Cambridge and went on day-long weekend trips to Wales that were filled with glimpses of discovery and adventure.

Despite living in a completely different world from the one Pinals was accustomed to, forming a close knit community with fellow Hamilton and Brandeis students made the transition much smoother to handle. Pinals is thankful to her friends for their support. Her friendships helped her adapt to London life and overcome the “culture shock curve,” a term she encountered numerous times during class discussions.

Now back from London, Pinals is optimistic about her future on campus. Looking to tap into Hamilton’s vast number of clubs in order to expand her network, she cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Prospective Neuroscience major Ethan Corbin ’26, who also enjoyed his time in London, shared the same morning routine as Pinals, consisting of taking the Tube in order to get to class. Out of the classes offered by the program that he was able to select, Corbin opted for “Environment, Communities and the arts,” “Development Psychology,” “Contemporary Photography” and the required writing intensive course “Cornerstone: Showcasing the Nation,” which were all taught by Arcadia University faculty. In terms of adaptation, Corbin found no trouble acclimating himself to the London lifestyle, and he especially enjoyed the city’s night scene.

As Director of Student Services for Arcadia University — the institution offering the “Fall in London Freshman Program” — Polly Penter was responsible for accommodating students into London life with ease and utmost stability. Thanks to a Student Life team organizing housing, events and orientation in the early stages of the program, Hamilton Jan students were able to enter the semester full of optimism and confidence. Due to a partnership with the University College London’s Student Union, students had exclusive access to over 300 clubs and societies to which they could join. Through repeated cultural exchanges between Hamilton Jan students and local British students, Jan students made the most of the vast possibilities provided by this expanded web of connections.

Far from the Europe, prospective Biology major Melissa Scala ’26 savored her study abroad experience in the Turks and Caicos islands, located in the southeast Bahamas. Her typical day included a combination of scuba diving, generally an hour-long session, along with six to eight hours of classes and community outreach projects later in the evening. Scala took part in a “Resource Management,” “Marine Ecology,” “Environmental policy” and an independent research project coordinated between six other students. Led by professors from the School for Field Studies program, the curriculum and extracurricular activities stretch from research on the Turks and Caicos coral reefs to the understanding of rainforest ecosystems worldwide.

A member of the Hamilton’s Women Swimming and Diving team, Scala made sure to remain active in spite of her geographical limitations. On Saturdays, she led swimming lessons for kids from the local community, along with going to the gym and snorkeling in the center’s swim zone. Alongside the traveling London Jan students enjoyed, Scala visited the island of Provo, considered the main tourist island in the Turks and Caicos islands, an experience she particularly enjoyed.

Through their varied lifestyles, Hamilton Jan students were able to taste the study abroad way of life, and they will remember these moments that made their past semesters so distinct.