Going abroad is a quintessential part of the “college experience.” Miller Downer, class of 2021, took advantage of Colgate’s study abroad programs and is spending the fall semester with a Colgate study group for Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Manchester.

“I study environmental biology and English with an emphasis in creative writing; right now I’m taking courses on both animal diversity and evolution, as well as classic British texts,” Downer said.

Manchester—a city with a population of more than 500,000 people, the fourth-most densely populated city in the European Union and the iconic soccer stadium Old Trafford—is a little bit different from Hamilton, NY. The differences, however, don’t stop there. 

“The biggest difference between Manchester and Colgate is easily the size of the city…The small differences in appliances and housing will drive you up the wall. I still don’t know Celsius or metrics and, at this point, I don’t think I can ask,” Downer said. “[My favorite parts] of being abroad are the public transportation, cheap food and easier class schedule. [Getting used to living abroad] was much easier than I thought it would be, all things considered.”

The study group has taken Downer all around the United Kingdom, as well as granting him time to go to an intense soccer match.

“[We have taken] field trips to north Wales, York, the Isle of Man and the Peak District National Park. [I] went to Manchester City Football Club versus Dinamo Zagreb a few weeks ago [for the Champions League] which was pretty sick. It was really cool. I don’t know much about soccer though, so it was more for just going to a game than actually knowing what’s going on,” Downer said.

Even though Downer is having a great time abroad, he can’t help but miss Colgate.

“I miss my friends and clubs. [I miss] the Monthly Rag,” Downer said.