Professional Development: Academics Abroad

Words and photos by Anika Woelffer, our Jetsetter Journalist who is studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy, during Spring semester 2024.

I’m more than halfway finished with my time studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy. I have grown more professionally than I ever thought I would. Being immersed in a new country and a different language has pushed me to adapt in ways I never thought of. I have noticed the majority of my growth has been through academics since all of my professors' first language is Italian. I have always been a good student and strived to do my best. This hasn't changed when I came to Italy, but I have had to adapt to different ways of teaching. 

When I first arrived, I was excited and nervous about this new experience. I had never been to Europe before and the fact that I was going to be here for four months was a little intimidating. The intimidation didn't go away as I went to my classes! After going to my first “Intro to Italian” class, I was a bit taken aback since my professor was only speaking in Italian. I have taken Spanish for nine years of my life, so I could pick out bits and pieces from the similarity of the dialect, but I was completely lost! It didn’t get better when I had my first 2 ½ hour lecture for my Marine Biology class. Although this class is taught in English, my professor's first language is Italian, which made it a little hard to understand him. 

The campus library

In the initial weeks, I struggled a bit with paying attention in class since I would zone out if I had a hard time understanding. It was hard sitting in the 2 ½ hour lecture where I could only pick up bits and pieces of what he was teaching due to the language barrier. This made me petrified of midterms because I still wanted to do really well, but I was struggling to absorb the material. After talking to some of my peers, I realized I wasn't alone in this challenge. Thankfully, one of the girls I talked to mentioned that I should find additional support offered by the school. I went to a meeting and was shocked by how many other students were there. It was extremely comforting to know I wasn't alone in my struggles and that I had people to support me. I left the meeting feeling energized and excited to try the new techniques I learned. One of the biggest tips that have helped me is to listen in class and take notes of key points from what my professors are saying, and then after class, review the slides and take notes on those. This approach has allowed me to be an active listener in class without getting overwhelmed trying to listen and take notes on the slides at the same time. 

Another thing I have developed is my studying techniques. Back in the States, the majority of my exams are essays or projects. Multiple assignments go into your final grade. In Italy, they have a traditional style of teaching where it’s just two tests to determine your grade, one during midterms and one during finals. I have never had this style of assessment and it has forced me to develop studying habits since I never really needed to study for actual tests back home. By creating study habits, my time management has improved since I need to plan out what I am focusing on. My critical thinking has also improved because to memorize the material, I have to apply it in different ways like real-world scenarios. These techniques have helped me tremendously, and I didn’t get lower than an A- on my midterms. I am extremely proud of myself for having been able to adapt and stay on top of my academics in a new environment. 

Where I study in my room!

Overall, I have been able to learn resilience and perseverance when it comes to these unique challenges. I am so thankful I have been able to learn these skills and develop more academically. Rather than viewing the language barrier and teaching styles as a hindrance, I found it was an opportunity for me to grow and improve my academics.