We're Green With Envy
Grace Mellor Begins Her Drexel LeBow Education in Ireland
The transition from high school to college presents a big transition for many students. Grace Mellor sought an experience that would transcend a mere transition, so she joined Drexel’s Freshman Frontiers program and is currently spending the first few months of her college career at Dublin Business School in Ireland.
“I thought traveling around Europe as a first-semester college student would show me a new perspective on life and an open-mindedness I would want to have for my college career,” says Grace, an economics major from Wrentham, Mass. “The vibes Dublin gives off are so positive. Everyone here is so friendly, and people actually show a lot of interest and pride in their city. I walk down the street feeling safe and accepted.”
She’s done some pretty cool things with new friends she’s made in Dublin, including attending an Ireland vs. USA soccer match (“The USA team lost, but the atmosphere of the stadium was so insane,” she says) and a rugby match. She’s also traveled around Europe a bit, visiting cities in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, and she recently returned from a long weekend in Paris.
She’s also had the opportunity to see other cities and sights in Ireland including Belfast, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands and the Giants Causeway.
In addition to learning the ins and outs of living in a different country, Grace points out additional lessons that come with studying abroad: learning to manage a budget (and the exchange rate from dollars to euros), and managing schoolwork with the many exciting opportunities to explore a new city, country and continent. She and her roommates even cook their own meals.
Grace says she feels like a changed person. “This has been the best decision of my life. I’ve learned so much about myself and how to survive on my own. I plan on studying abroad again and landing a Drexel Co-op abroad in the near future.”
