Bermuda High School (BHS) graduate, Zoe Brady is currently attending the University College of London, UK where she is studying archaeology. The Royal Gazette caught up with her during the Christmas break to find out about her experience at university abroad.

Q: What was the hardest and most challenging part of studying abroad?

A: Going out and getting to know people because I’ve been at BHS all my life and having to confront strangers and establish friendships was a bit of a culture shock.

But coming from Bermuda where everyone is generally friendly and can talk to one another helps.

>Q: What is life in a residence like after living at home all your life?

A: I’m catered so the biggest problem for me is the food, I’m just not used to it. My neighbours are not the most quiet, but everyone is generally very friendly.

It’s a bit of different environment. There are a couple of hundred students in the residence, but we have 24 people on our floor. Another problem is that there is only one washing room and it’s sometimes impossible to wash your clothes for hours!

Q: Is it co-ed?

A: Yes and since I come from a family with mostly girls (one sister) having to have a co-ed bathroom is hard to adjust to.

Also having come from an all girls school I expected there to be some adjusting, but no major issues so far.B>Q: Did you adjust to classes?

A: They are a different format. At high school you get worksheets and learn all you need to know in class, but at college your lecturers give you their point of view and you have to research the subject further on your own.

So it’s harder to take notes at first, but it becomes easy quite quickly.

Q: What about your social life? What do students in the UK do for fun<$>A: We’re lucky because you have a student union where we can socialise, but sometimes it’s more fun just hanging out in a kitchen and socialising.

Clubbing in London is really good. The legal drinking age is 18, but if you don’t have an ID don’t bother, as there is no way you can get into clubs and pubs without one.

Q: Is life in London very different from life in Bermuda?

A: Yeah, there is a lot more anonymity, which can be seen as a good and a bad thing I guess.

When my purse was stolen, I was with friends, but I didn’t feel secure enough to ask strangers whether they’d seen anything and had to ask the security guard for help first.

In Bermuda everyone wants to help you out and if that were to happen here, but there it was harder to get some people to co-operate and hel

Q: Are you working in the UK?

A: Not yet, my friends are and I’ve heard various stories from them. I want to get a job in the New Year, but will take it easier at first and get used to the workload.

Q: What about travel, have you been over to Europe and is there time for that sort of thi

<$>A: I’ve been bad in that area because I haven’t done any travelling yet, but my friends have gone to Spain.

Some are going skiing this winter and I’m very jealous. It’s easier for people who live in England, but for me I have all my flights to book and I don’t have a half-term, which makes it more difficult to plan.

Q: Are there a lot of Bermudians studying in England that you know?

<$>A: I know that at UCL there are more Bermudians than I expected. We have been thinking of starting of a Bermudian society, but there aren’t enough people.

But there are five or six at my school and two of my friends are in the UK, but not as many as I’d like to see.

It’s a fantastic place to study and I hope that now more Bermudians are looking to England to study.