This summer I took part in a summer session organized by MicroEDU at the University of California, Los Angeles and can say right away: The six weeks were just great! The university, the country, the people, the beaches, the shopping opportunities, the parties. . . – great! Note: according to abbreviationfinder, University of California, Los Angeles is also known as UCLA.

I arrived at the beginning of August, the stay lasted six weeks, so until mid-September. Like many other German and Austrian students, I chose Session C because this time could best be combined with my studies. Exams and homework were done, so I could travel to the USA with a clear head. The choice of this period was also ideal because of the weather, as it was pleasantly warm for the entire six weeks (between 25 and 35 ° C) and there were only rarely clouds in the sky. At night, however, it gets very fresh, so you should always have a jacket with you – and beware: Americans love air conditioning! A bus trip, a supermarket tour or university courses can be very uncomfortable if you haven’t packed something warm to wear. Most of us also caught a cold immediately. . .

I lived off-campus, in the Glenrock apartments. These were the furthest away from UCLA, but that meant only a short walk of 5-10 minutes to the UCLA. All off-campus accommodations were at a very good distance from the campus and simply had the advantage that you didn’t have to live in the Sproul / Rieber Hall dormitories, where there were occasional difficulties with the room mates (2-3 people on a very small Room) or the sanitary facilities. In addition, alcohol is forbidden on-campus, not off-campus. . . Most of the time, our off-campus parties were disrupted by the campus police, but then we just moved on to another apartment. . .

I lived in a single apartment (studio) in Glenrock, which I can highly recommend. The apartment consisted of a spacious kitchenette with stove, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc. , but is not equipped with pots, dishes, cutlery, etc. at all. There was also a bedroom / living / dining room that offered plenty of space. There was also a nice bathroom and a dressing room. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use the balcony often because it was very dirty. In general, the studio wasn’t very clean on arrival, which was really outrageous considering the high price. In general, you pay a lot for the accommodation, as the food is not included.

However, it was absolutely no problem to eat in the on-campus canteens with a loaded BruinCard. For the first few weeks, almost all Germans always met to eat in the Rieber Hall, but most off-campus people ate elsewhere afterwards, as the food is really always the same after three weeks. The salad bar and the fruit selection were very good, but otherwise burgers and pizzas dominated the menu. The “all you can eat” motto is very good: you pay once and can eat and drink as much as you want.

The UCLA courses were great! I took a course in English Literature (“American Literature since 1945”) and a course in Politics (“Electoral Politics: Mass Media and Elections”). In both courses, the professors were very nice and very dedicated. The results of tests, mid-terms or finals were received very quickly, and the grades were fair. The literature course was very demanding and so in just under six weeks I was allowed to read seven not exactly thin books, which were then discussed in class. I chose the political course because of the current presidential election campaign in the USA and my expectations were not disappointed: Many current topics were debated and presented in a very appealing way. I would not recommend more than two courses,

Since, in addition to Europeans, mainly Asians take part in the summer sessions, you quickly get to know Japanese or Chinese in the courses. Americans also take part in the sessions, but the number of European and Asian students clearly predominates. However, once you have met an American, it quickly happens that you are invited to a (frat) party and can have a lot of fun with the Americans. In general, the Americans were super-friendly and always eager to help you. That was on campus as well as on the beach or in the city.

Choosing UCLA for the summer session is the best thing you can do! Because not only the UCLA with its students, huge sports program etc. offers a lot, Los Angeles as a place is also fantastic! UCLA is in Westwood, a very nice and safe neighborhood. Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Hollywood, Santa Monica etc. can be reached very quickly. Since the bus network in LA is quite unreliable (but inexpensive!), A rental car is recommended for the stay. People can always be found to drive along and having your own car saves a lot of time and money. Because only when you are mobile can you really get to know LA and the surrounding area!

We used every free minute to see as many of the sights as possible. In addition to all the beautiful neighborhoods, we visited several shopping / outlet malls and made great bargains! The offer is just amazing! We then used the weekends for longer trips to San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego, Santa Barbara etc. Las Vegas in particular has become an unforgettable time for all of us, this artificial city offers the best conditions for playing and partying! If you travel to San Francisco, you should definitely drive the legendary Highway No. 1 on the way back, although you can expect at least 12 hours of driving time . . .

The beaches of Los Angeles are also great: Whether Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Zuma Beach, Newport Beach or Manhattan Beach – all beaches are really recommendable and fantastically beautiful! The sea with the great waves invites you to swim and I’ve been a huge fan of boogie boarding since LA!

There is no shortage of amusement in LA! Because the city also has a lot to offer at night: whether it’s a student party, a casual bar evening or a trendy club on Sunset Boulevard – there is something for everyone and everything should be tested! There was hardly an evening where there was no partying and dancing, despite strenuous excursions and UCLA, fun always had priority!

I can only recommend a Summer Session at UCLA because I had an incredibly great and impressive time in the States! You get to know nice people very quickly and rush from one great experience to the next!

I can only say: Go to LA and have the time of your life…!