I attended Arizona State University as an exchange student in 04-05. I had a really great year at ASU and I learned more at ASU than I did for two years at my own university back home. My major was broadcast journalism and I took classes at Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and I even got the chance to meet Walter Cronkite in person! I got to do an internship at the presidential debate that was held at Arizona State Univeristy in September 04, it was lots of fun! The only thing that surprised me about the broadcasting classes at ASU was the old editing systems we used (tape to tape), but I think that must have changed by now. I also took documentary filmmaking where we had digital editing.
My second semester at Arizona State University I wanted to write my thesis (but as an undergraduate student you're not supposed to take any graduate courses like thesis writing) but my professor from the documentary class accepted to by my instructor anyway (such a sweetheart!). And I also got into a graduate method class for the same reason (another very nice professor). I also took a class in management, one in research methods, another film class and a sociology class and in all of my classes at ASU my teachers were all really devoted and wanted the students to interact, learn and be excellent. I wish there was such devotion in every school!
The university system in the United States is very different from the one in Scandinavia where courses are based on independent study, whereas in the States there are tons of classes, homework and tests, term papers and quizzes. It might seem like hard work (and sometimes it was) but truth is, it's a much better way to learn things. By repeating things, learning by doing and to listen to professors instead of read everything in a book, defiantly worked for me. And I am not slow reader or anything, but I like to learn things for real. Not just read stuff in a book and then forget them a week later. A few years further down the road, I realize now that the things I learned at Arizona State University are the things I still remember and practice at work. And I did get named to the Dean's List for outstanding academic achievements both semesters!
Arizona State University is huge, with several campus sites around the Phoenix area. I attended the Tempe campus, which is the largest one, with all facilities you need on campus or within close reach. A great way to make friends as an international student is to live on campus, in one of the student dorms. Some dorm rooms are shared with other students, but you can pay to get a single room. However, I got my own condo off campus with a few friends, which I would recommend if you want more privacy, a private pool and so on.
Needless to say, Phoenix is extremely hot during the summer months, and when I arrived in August it was over 115 F. But I love the heat, so it wasn't really a problem. During the semester we went on several road trips, for example to Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico (spring break!) etc. After graduating in the spring, I also went travelling up the east coast for a couple of months. I would defiantly recommend taking some time of to travel after graduation.
There's so much more I can say about Arizona State University and about the United States, but I just think it's better if you take the chance to go over there and see for yourself. Studying abroad is such a great experience and I recommend everyone to do it. You will learn so much about life, a new culture, a new language, but also about yourself, and you will meet friends for life. So trust me; studying abroad is the experience of a life time.
