When choosing which university I would attend abroad, it was very important for me to select a school that would complement my double majors, psychology and dance, and allow me to maintain my graduation expectancy. University of Roehampton, London, was the only school that did both. While I may have made the decision to attend this school based off that reason alone, I’m so glad I did.
Roehampton is divided into four colleges: Froebel (THE BEST), Whitelands, Digby, and Southlands. The colleges are determined by the majors they host. For example, Froebel College is the school of education, while Whitelands is the school of life sciences.
I’m a student at Froebel College, where I have all of my dance classes (I also take one psychology course in Whitelands). Froebel’s campus is home to Roehampton Student Union, Union Bar, Froebel Dining hall, and a stunning building called the Grove House.
I stay in a block with one of the most influential people of Froebel, Madam President Sim, who also happens to be my flat rep (equivalent to RA). When moving in, she was super inviting, and we instantly clicked. She introduced me to friends of hers, took me around my favorite town, Putney, and made me feel very comfortable and at home.
Here on campus, there are plenty of organized events for students. My second week being here, there was an all-week event called ‘freshers week.’ This is where all of the first-year students got to know each other and familiarized themselves with the campuses. We went out, had different types of parties, and attended a fresher’s fair, which introduced us to different societies and clubs to join for the term. The college also organizes student dinners, excursions to fun places like the amusement park, and holiday trips to other countries in the spring.
Froebel hosts a plethora of events and is the main attraction when it comes to parties and school-planned activities. There’s a place on campus that everyone goes to called Union Bar, which is connected to Froebel’s dining hall. Union Bar hosts karaoke on Thursdays, themed parties on Fridays and Saturdays, and quiz nights on Sundays. Everyone from all the other colleges comes out for these events, making it an even grander experience. I can 1,000% say I’m glad to be a Froebel resident.
To me, a rich campus life symbolizes the efforts of the university to meaningfully engage its students. Roehampton hosts so many events and celebrations that allow us to have something to look forward to during the week, while also providing opportunities to hang out with friends, meet new people, and simply enjoy a night out.
The culture here at Roe is so different than I’ve experienced back in the States—I mean, a bar on campus is actually crazy to me—but that’s what makes it so different and welcoming. It’s not just about partying; having a spot to lounge and get together with friends is so cool. The atmosphere since being here has always given me cozy and homey vibes, creating an intimate setting to learn and get to know others.
Tzeniah Frazier is a student at Messiah University and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is studying with ISA in London, England.
