University of Wisconsin–Madison

Ireland: Mary Bair

Program: University of Limerick, Spring

Major: Biological Systems Engineering

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

I think the most memorable experience for me would be the connections I made with other students. I had six people sharing an apartment-style dorm with me. Two were from Germany, one went to school in Limerick full-time, one was from Butler, and one was my friend from Madison. The relationships we developed from living and traveling together are immeasurable. They plan to come visit for a game at UW soon!

cliffs next to the sea sit against a cloudy sky
We got to see the Cliffs of Moher through a planned university event!

What is the moment you are most proud of?

The moment I am most proud of would be the experience itself. As a homebody who appreciates structure, living in a foreign country can become overwhelming. I had to learn to enjoy the process, live in the moment, and be comfortable with unknowns.

a sunset is over a large river with a bridge in the distance
This was a beautiful sunset over River Shannon that we would cross to reach both sides of campus at Limerick.
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Whether that means scheduled naps in the afternoon, eating dinner at 10, or having no structure at all, I learned that there is no one way to be successful. Being abroad forced me to slow down and escape from the fast pace of the United States.

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

The academics and classes in Ireland were very self-guided. Often, 100% of the grade would be based on the final exam. That means it was very much on me as a student to figure out how I was going to learn the material and perform well in finals.