I’ve studied abroad.  But not really.  If you are currently studying abroad, or plan to in the future, I can assure you that my overseas experience was a bit different.  I began my college experience in London, rather than waiting until Junior year to try the whole passport-and-a-long-ass-flight routine.  Whenever I say, “I spent a year in London,” (I transferred during sophomore year), people assume I studied abroad.  I did not.

At my school, Americans who were enrolled in degree programs were labelled “Degree Students,” while Americans who were specifically there for a semester or two were labelled “Study Abroads.”  So, while I was an American sewing my wild oats just like you might be, there were some major differences.  I moved to the UK when I was 18, fresh out of high school.  I’d never had a keg party experience, I’d never lived in a dry dorm, and I’d never been to a major college sporting event.  Though I wasn’t always on my best behavior, my best friends were from all over the world, and I could see through their eyes how Americans earned bad raps as being obnoxious, immature, and annoying.  Make the most of your experience. Don’t make these mistakes.

1.  Do Know That Your Accent Says It All.

Have you ever heard an English person swear? I don’t care how “sodding” pissed off they are, it sounds so much nicer than an American politely asking, “Whaat tye-am is etttt?”  Most natives of whatever country you’re in won’t be instantly appalled by your accent, but they will know approximately where you hail from.

2. Don’t Get Wasted and Yell Things That Would Be Funny at Home.

As I just stated, your accent gives you away.  Which can work to your advantage… or not.  Screaming your school’s sports chant– P-I-T-T Let’s Go Pitt!– is not only loud and obnoxious, but do you really think the residents of Queensland, Australia give a f*** about the University of Pittsburgh?  Singing bar songs (American or otherwise) will also make everyone, including fellow Americans, want to punch you in the face.

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For better or for worse, beer is a staple of the modern American college student’s life. From the keg stand to the can’t-hardly-stand, it’s a welcome guest at most every house party and tailgate.

This fact has given beer somewhat of a bad rap. That is to say, many consider it to be the non-thinking man’s beverage of choice, and, more ominously, the instrument responsible for waking up next to the toilet, those embarrassing naked pictures and that highly questionable hook-up.

However, beer can be more than the means by which we as as women and college students at large can make bad decisions. It can, when consumed responsibly and with the intention of having fun (as opposed to just getting wasted), also be something to be savored and enjoyed for taste as opposed to its, at times, delightful side effects. Here is a guide to finding the right beer for you.

IF YOU HATE BEER:

Try an ale, especially a wheat ale, like Blue Moon or Tucher. These beers have a sweeter taste and are often served with a lemon or orange. This is also a great beer for the beginning beer drinker, who may not be able to handle the strength of a lager or stout.

Ales are brewed with top-fermenting yeasts at a relatively high fermenting temperature. These temperatures cause the yeast to produce esters, which give the ales a slightly fruity taste. Besides wheat ales, there are also IPAs or India Pale Ales, and the very pale Hefeweizens. A few other ales to try: Hoegaarden, Samuel Adams’ Boston Ale, Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale. Read More »