When London native and second-year global studies student Ella Wise traveled across the pond to attend college, or “uni” as it’s called for short in England, her friends had a pressing question about UCLA. Was it just like “The Hills” on MTV?

“I had to tell them that, no, there are normal people in Los Angeles,” she said, laughing.

Likewise, Wise is entertained by the American misconceptions she’s encountered ““ that the English are exceptionally proper and drink tea at 3 p.m. daily. Wise admits that she was surprised at the level of culture shock she experienced during her first year at UCLA, beginning with her orientation’s eight-clap lesson.

“In England, unis aren’t so spirited. … When I went to orientation and they were like “˜let’s learn a chant,’ I thought, “˜What? People have songs?’ It’s nice to feel a part of something, but I found that really weird at first. … It was like some kind of indoctrination ““ the Bruin baptism.”

According to Wise, it is common for English students to take a “gap year” to spend time traveling before beginning university education. However, Wise chose to forgo the path several of her friends chose.

“I wanted to do something really different. … I wasn’t sure about taking a gap year, but I thought going abroad for uni could be a compromise ““ uni in a foreign country.”

After researching schools, Wise decided UCLA was the type of university she wanted to attend.

“The American college system seemed more flexible than England’s, and I was really attracted to that. If you don’t know what you want to do in England, it’s really hard to change (majors), but over here, there’s more room for exploring,” she said.

Wise said that British schools follow strict course guidelines for specified career paths ““ something she is still deciding. While she enjoys global studies, she is open-minded to the type of work she will be able to do with her degree.

“Since working with UCLA’s One Heart Source (in Tanzania), and even before that, I felt like I want to do something with development.”

“I definitely want to travel … You never know what the future will hold.”

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