MEI Fall Semester in Europe - An unforgettable experience!

Following my 3 month trip with MEI, I came back home with more academic knowledge and more importantly, a better sense of self. While travelling across europe with an entirely new peer group, I made lifelong friendships and had some huge laughs all while gaining a global perspective on world issues and making interdisciplinary connections. Although the travelling aspect of the trip was fun, the work was challenging and forced my class to deeply reflect on what we were learning and strive to better perform in writing and public speaking. I learned to take better photos, analyse and critique everyday concepts and perhaps most notably, navigate different relationship dynamics. This trip was a great first step towards university and gaining independence from my parents, as well as looked great on all of my post-secondary applications, garnering me numerous scholarships. Since I was in my final year of high school, staff ensured I got the support I needed to send out post-secondary applications, guidance I really appreciated. My class was given freedom to explore while also following a typical expected structure of a day, which allowed for us to do our own exploring while hitting all of the key landmarks for our studies. One thing I will note is that MEI is not for the faint of heart; on my semester abroad I was tested and pushed physically, emotionally and academically, and amid the fast-paced environment I often found myself overspent and exhausted, with minimal support resources. I found myself with very little time to stop and really reflect on what I was learning or even how I was feeling in a given moment. This trade-off was arguably worth it for the 3 months of immersive experience, valuable relationships and sense of individualism I gained from my travels (I replay the memories in my head everyday!). Overall, If you are seriously contemplating MEI, I would say go for it; grit up and prepare for a transformative journey you will certainly never forget!