My overall study abroad experience at Europe was incredible as it provided a unique opportunity for me to develop a global perspective. Prior to landing on the continent that was so far away from home, my goal for studying abroad was to seek active engagement in a global environment and develop the ability to navigate among cultural diversities. To my surprise, not only that I have accomplished my goals in as little as four months, I have also established a better understanding of global networking as a foundation for the future. Through traveling to different cities, I was able to connect with its people, culture, and values that drive a community forward. In the future, I hope to utilize my knowledge and experience to the best of my ability and contribute to our local community and beyond.
If you are interested in studying abroad at ESC Rennes School of Business (RSB) in France, here’s ten helpful tips for you:
1. Student Residence
As mentioned, RSB uses a third party platform (Studapart) to coordinate housing for its students. However, your options are not limited to those offered on the platform. Many international students were able to find student residences that were not on Studapart, and those places sometimes offer better value for the price you pay! Just some research online and you will be able to find some.
2. Lunch at Cafét Métronome
If you don’t find school lunch appetizing, Métronome has a solution for you! Metronome is not too far from the school (15 - 20 minutes by walking, 5 - 10 minutes by bus) and it serves a good portion of tasty food for a very low price (around 3.5 euros). You may be skeptical of the food quality based on its price, but think of this place as a cafeteria for all students in Rennes. Many students chose to have their lunch here so it gets really crowded around 12PM - 1PM. Sometimes it may take a long time to pay but I think the wait is definitely worth it.
3. Cooking & Lidl
In my opinion, I think it’s quite hard to find great restaurants in Rennes compared to other bigger cities. I have tried many different cuisines in Rennes with my friends, and to my disappointment, I haven’t found one that “wow” me yet. So make sure you practice your cooking skills and be ready for some grocery runs! (Highly recommend Lidl which is a discount grocery store, you can buy most if not all of your groceries there for a cheap price!)
4. Communication & time management
Compared to my experience in UH Manoa, RSB uses a very different grading system which allows students to practice their collaboration skills in projects (usually 40% of your total grade). With that in mind, be sure to have open and clear communication with your teammates to avoid confusions or misunderstandings. For example, when I have travel plans for the weekend and know that I will not be able to work on the project, I will either: 1) work on or finish my part of the project (at minimum) before I leave, or 2) communicate with my teammates that I will not be available to work on the project AND let them know exactly when I will be able to finish it after I come back from my trips (so that they know what to expect from you at what time). This is very important because some projects must be done in a sequence, which means that some of the team members will not be able to work on their part unless you finish yours.
5. Set your priorities right
As much as we love to travel and explore when we are abroad, this program is designed based on your academic experience. Be sure to keep that in mind and don’t lose sight of your main goal -- to learn in an academic setting while being abroad. Of course, you can have other goals such as completing your travel bucket list or building connections with people from all around the world, but your title is student and your job here is to learn.
6. Be curious
When you are in a new environment, there is a lot to take in and learn. From architecture to language, from cuisine to music, every part of your experience abroad is a culture lesson and you should definitely take advantage of this to learn as much as you can. Especially when you travel to another country or just another city near by, be curious of your surroundings and don’t hesitate to google things when you have questions in mind. Also don’t be afraid to ask about anything, because there are no dumb questions as long as you’re learning and taking things in!
7. Be responsible for your health and body
Let’s face it, it’s easy to forget to take good care of ourselves when there are too many exciting things going on. However, please don’t forget that living healthily is just as important as living happily. So be sure to treat your mind and body right by keep doing whatever makes you feel comfortable and healthy (go to the gym, walk around the park, make good food, etc.)
8. "It’s about the journey, not the destination."
For those who love to travel, I am sure you already know this -- be sure to get the most out of your travel experience by enjoying every second of your trip, whether it’s a positive or negative experience. From the moment you step out of your door to the moment you get home, make sure you are in the right mindset and ready for the journey. Not every trip will be as good as the last, but they all serve as good learning opportunities and life lessons that may change our perspectives and values.
9. Reflect! Reflect! Reflect!
You may not have a lot of time to write out reflections when you are abroad, but at the very least, give yourself some time every week (10 - 30 minutes) to go over your life experiences. Reflection helps us understand our experiences and ourselves better through different perspectives that we may not have considered before. By giving yourself some quiet time to sit down and think about how your experiences change or inspire you, you are allowing yourself to grow and develop as a person.
10. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it!
Four months may sound like a long time away from home, but trust me, time definitely flies when you are abroad. With my prior study abroad experience, I had a good understanding of time when being abroad. Making new friends, exploring new places, trying different cuisines, all these fun things we do abroad take a huge amount of time away from us and sometimes we don’t even notice it until the end. So, be sure you take advantage of the time when you are abroad and make every second count!
If you are interested in studying abroad at ESC Rennes School of Business (RSB) in France, here’s ten helpful tips for you:
1. Student Residence
As mentioned, RSB uses a third party platform (Studapart) to coordinate housing for its students. However, your options are not limited to those offered on the platform. Many international students were able to find student residences that were not on Studapart, and those places sometimes offer better value for the price you pay! Just some research online and you will be able to find some.
2. Lunch at Cafét Métronome
If you don’t find school lunch appetizing, Métronome has a solution for you! Metronome is not too far from the school (15 - 20 minutes by walking, 5 - 10 minutes by bus) and it serves a good portion of tasty food for a very low price (around 3.5 euros). You may be skeptical of the food quality based on its price, but think of this place as a cafeteria for all students in Rennes. Many students chose to have their lunch here so it gets really crowded around 12PM - 1PM. Sometimes it may take a long time to pay but I think the wait is definitely worth it.
3. Cooking & Lidl
In my opinion, I think it’s quite hard to find great restaurants in Rennes compared to other bigger cities. I have tried many different cuisines in Rennes with my friends, and to my disappointment, I haven’t found one that “wow” me yet. So make sure you practice your cooking skills and be ready for some grocery runs! (Highly recommend Lidl which is a discount grocery store, you can buy most if not all of your groceries there for a cheap price!)
4. Communication & time management
Compared to my experience in UH Manoa, RSB uses a very different grading system which allows students to practice their collaboration skills in projects (usually 40% of your total grade). With that in mind, be sure to have open and clear communication with your teammates to avoid confusions or misunderstandings. For example, when I have travel plans for the weekend and know that I will not be able to work on the project, I will either: 1) work on or finish my part of the project (at minimum) before I leave, or 2) communicate with my teammates that I will not be available to work on the project AND let them know exactly when I will be able to finish it after I come back from my trips (so that they know what to expect from you at what time). This is very important because some projects must be done in a sequence, which means that some of the team members will not be able to work on their part unless you finish yours.
5. Set your priorities right
As much as we love to travel and explore when we are abroad, this program is designed based on your academic experience. Be sure to keep that in mind and don’t lose sight of your main goal -- to learn in an academic setting while being abroad. Of course, you can have other goals such as completing your travel bucket list or building connections with people from all around the world, but your title is student and your job here is to learn.
6. Be curious
When you are in a new environment, there is a lot to take in and learn. From architecture to language, from cuisine to music, every part of your experience abroad is a culture lesson and you should definitely take advantage of this to learn as much as you can. Especially when you travel to another country or just another city near by, be curious of your surroundings and don’t hesitate to google things when you have questions in mind. Also don’t be afraid to ask about anything, because there are no dumb questions as long as you’re learning and taking things in!
7. Be responsible for your health and body
Let’s face it, it’s easy to forget to take good care of ourselves when there are too many exciting things going on. However, please don’t forget that living healthily is just as important as living happily. So be sure to treat your mind and body right by keep doing whatever makes you feel comfortable and healthy (go to the gym, walk around the park, make good food, etc.)
8. "It’s about the journey, not the destination."
For those who love to travel, I am sure you already know this -- be sure to get the most out of your travel experience by enjoying every second of your trip, whether it’s a positive or negative experience. From the moment you step out of your door to the moment you get home, make sure you are in the right mindset and ready for the journey. Not every trip will be as good as the last, but they all serve as good learning opportunities and life lessons that may change our perspectives and values.
9. Reflect! Reflect! Reflect!
You may not have a lot of time to write out reflections when you are abroad, but at the very least, give yourself some time every week (10 - 30 minutes) to go over your life experiences. Reflection helps us understand our experiences and ourselves better through different perspectives that we may not have considered before. By giving yourself some quiet time to sit down and think about how your experiences change or inspire you, you are allowing yourself to grow and develop as a person.
10. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it!
Four months may sound like a long time away from home, but trust me, time definitely flies when you are abroad. With my prior study abroad experience, I had a good understanding of time when being abroad. Making new friends, exploring new places, trying different cuisines, all these fun things we do abroad take a huge amount of time away from us and sometimes we don’t even notice it until the end. So, be sure you take advantage of the time when you are abroad and make every second count!