England was definitely one of my top choices for studying abroad, but my toughest decision was figuring out where in England! There were a lot of good options, but it ultimately came down to either Bristol or Brighton. I didn't know too much about either place at the time, but my gut was telling me to go to Brighton. That ended up being the best decision I have ever made in my life so far! Brighton is such a funky, lively, diverse city. It's a place where anything goes and everyone is welcome! There are always events, concerts, festivals, etc 'going on-- so don't worry about getting bored or having nothing to do. The nightlife is also really good! There is something for everyone with plenty of bars, nightclubs, comedy clubs, concert venues, and everything inbetween! Brighton is a city that isn't too big nor too small. It is very walkable (which I like) and like I said there is plenty do and see. I found myself discovering a new favorite cafe or bar every week in the funky streets of North Laine or the Lanes. Not to mention the breathtaking scenery of the beach and pier that you get to see every time you go into town. Brighton also isn't too far from neighboring 'traditional' towns like Lewes (it has a castle!!!) or Stanmer Park (go here for tea!!!) or a wondrous hike at Devil's Dyke! All of these places are a bus ride away (You can walk to Stanmer Park from your housing!).
The international advisers at Brighton were absolute gems! They were easy and fun to talk to and were willing to help me with any type of problem I encountered. They definitely helped make my transition to Brighton a breeze!
I'm sure I can go on writing for hours about how great Brighton is, but I won't do that. You should just go discover for yourself and have the best adventure of your life!!! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns :)
What would you improve about this program?
If there was somehow a better and easier way to get connected with other students besides other international students then that would be great (of course I absolutely loved my international family). I found it difficult to make meaningful connections with British people in my classes. I had my British flatmates and a few other friends I met through other means (church and Instagram), but it was difficult to make lasting friendships outside of that. So, maybe if there were some kind of weekly 'coffee and culture' hour where all students are welcome to mingle or other types of events then that would be great!
Response from University of Brighton
Thank you for your comments.
Due to the intensive nature of the programme we have to fit a lot in to a short space of time; both in terms of teaching and the cultural activities. Unfortunately time restraints mean we can only offer one organised trip to London, however we would encourage students to go back to explore further our huge, vibrant capital city on their 'free' afternoons. We are planning on extending the summer school 2017 programme to 4 weeks which means there should be more time in which to do this.