Hi my name is Marton Ujvari, a BA Modern History and Politics student who took part in the study abroad programme for one year during 2025/26.
I completed this year at Whittier College in Los Angeles, California, and it proved to be my favourite year in further education. Thanks to the University of Southampton, I was able to take on this adventure (with highly discounted tuition fees) and meet many amazing people who I now consider friends for life.
During this time, I visited four states, and five cities (LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas and Austin,) something which I may never have been able to do without this opportunity.
Academically, I got to experience the Liberal Arts system of education, getting to learn many different subjects to have a more holistic view of things. The courses I took ranged from History and Politics to Philosophy, Film and Religious Studies.
In extracurriculars, I got to learn the fascinating sport of Lacrosse (which I now know is offered at Southampton but have never actually heard about it before), participating in my host institution’s historic division three team. Additionally, I joined a fraternity, where I learned about the values of brotherhood, trust and community, forming bonds and friendships for life with people I may have never met.
Los Angeles is also fantastic for its culture, being a true melting pot of people. I explored many areas of the city, from the beaches of Santa Monica and Venice to Beverly Hills and the Griffith Observatory, visiting many iconic locations from films and video games along the way (Santa Monica Pier felt surreal as a big fan of GTA V.) I would lie if I said Mexican food was not a highlight of my experience, and I don’t think I can ever forget the flavours at a late night taco truck, but you also can’t forget the other fast food options like In-n-out and Cane’s, which I still crave.
Overall, this past year has been tremendous for my personal growth, becoming more social, but I also learnt a lot more academically through the extended opportunities for study, and so I believe going abroad for a year is essential for a complete university experience.