From Freshman to Fearless: Grace White's Scottish Adventure

Judy Oskam: 0:03

Welcome to Stories of Change and Creativity Scotland Edition. This is a short series where I explore how people navigate change and embrace creativity even when the path isn't clear. I'm Judy Oskam and in this edition I'm coming to you from Queen Margaret University near Edinburgh, scotland. I'm teaching a three-week public relations course as part of Texas State University's education abroad program and along the way I'm sitting down with students, faculty and local professionals to capture their stories. From first-time travelers to creative pros. These conversations reveal how global experiences can shape who we are and how we communicate with the world. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Grace White: 0:58

Hi, I'm Grace White. I just finished my freshman year at Texas State. I am majoring in public relations and I have yet to declare my minor. But I am on the process of trying to really figure out what's best for me and my best route. But I'm really looking at all of the options so I'm not very particular yet I'm really interested in some of the classes that I've been seeing through each minor. So that's kind of been my next step in my process, but I'm really enjoying my time here.

Judy Oskam: 1:31

Good, Well, tell me let's kind of start there why did you pick this education abroad trip?

Grace White: 1:37

Well, actually you came to the Mass Comm class.

Judy Oskam: 1:41

Oh, Lori Fluker's class. Dr Fluker, yes.

Grace White: 1:44

I was a friend in that class, um, that I like had just met and we were listening to it and like your kind of pitch on it, I was like honestly, this could be so cool. But I definitely have a bit of imposter syndrome so I was like I don't know if I'm quality.

Grace White: 1:58

I don't know if I can do this, like I'm a freshman, like sure and I was like it's probably for older students and I didn didn't really know exactly. But I was like I don't, I don't know what the best route is. And then I'm thinking and I'm looking at like my itinerary, kind of, for what classes I need to start taking for my sophomore year. I'm like, oh, like, this is a class for my sophomore year, maybe I should just try to do it. And so I looked into it a little more, but your pitch was really what got me in it.

Judy Oskam: 2:27

I'm not fishing for a compliment here.

Grace White: 2:29

But it was really interesting. I also really liked the idea of it was a three week program. I honestly did not know. The other programs were shorter than this. I thought this was like, oh, at least it's not a semester. That was my biggest thing of like staying in San Marcos and being closer to my family in Austin and my friends and my life at home is like a really big thing. So I was nervous to even look at if there was anything remotely longer than a three week program. So I was really interested because of that.

Judy Oskam: 3:03

OK, oh, that's good, that's good. Well, and Scotland? So tell me, what has have you been surprised about Scotland? What's been the?

Grace White: 3:15

most interesting, surprising for you, I think. Even though we were kind of already told some of the things, I'm still so surprised, like even like just from the weather, like the weather has been a super big thing, but I think everything I was really expecting a little more cold interactions with locals, because that's like one thing I feel like has been a big stigma is just American visitors from different areas anywhere and just kind of getting the cold shoulder sometimes. So I was nervous about that. But everyone here is so sweet, so nice, like it's just. I know it's their job half of the time, but just the way they like to make you feel welcome is just so like.

Judy Oskam: 3:59

I just feel so happy to be here and so sad to leave. Well, I know, and we're in our last week yes, we are. And you guys have done for the class. We've done some mini projects and you've actually gotten out and done some public relations and you've been involved with the local community. You've met with businesses and you've talked to them about public relations and what they're doing and I'm so proud of you guys for doing that. I'm so proud of you guys for doing that.

Grace White: 4:22

I'm very happy that I've I'm proud of myself yeah.

Grace White: 4:30

I've been able to do that because I am a bit more on the timid side back home. So it's been really great to like open up and like get on my shell a little, because that was like my biggest thing, was like a little nervous to even interact with my peers and I didn't really know them as well, so that was a big thing. But the local communities are like amazing. They I didn't really know them as well, so that was a big thing. But the local communities are like amazing, they're so nice. The person, the shop owner that we interviewed, allison and I we love him, like he is the best, and we were so sad when he was on holiday but coming back he was so talkative to us and he still really like likes to interact and it wasn't just a one-time thing.

Grace White: 5:02

He really like clearly cares about his community, even if we were just here for three weeks.

Judy Oskam: 5:06

The pizzeria right. Is that what you did? The Italian shop At the?

Grace White: 5:09

end of the history. He's so nice, so definitely it's been. It's been great to feel welcome Nice.

Judy Oskam: 5:17

Well, and, and you've lived in the dorm, but you guys have had you have single rooms. So you guys have had you have single rooms. Yes, so you have a private room, but then you share a kitchen. Has there been much cooking there or some? Yes, I mean, the fridges are pretty full.

Grace White: 5:30

Yeah, okay, good, there have been some things I have been like I'd rather spend my time walking somewhere and going outside, so I've been on pre-made lunches or just like getting something quick to eat. But also I'm still kind of in my freshman eating phase where I just can grab anything I find Right, so I haven't been super like needing to picky about things.

Grace White: 5:57

Yeah, I'm happy for anything, nice, nice but yeah, the the solo rooms was a big factor because I um just came out of the dorm living situation yes, so I'm very done that. Yeah, so I was like I'm gonna get spoiled here, like I'm so excited in my own room, so that was a big factor as well, so I was really happy about that nice, nice, and the shower is super small, so small it's like's, like that's another thing.

Judy Oskam: 6:21

Yeah, that's beautiful though. Well, and you know how do you think this experience has changed you? What are you going to go back and do differently? Do you have any new habits that you're going to start and do differently?

Grace White: 6:34

I think like not say no as much anymore. Oh, I love that, I feel like I was very in my shell and very quiet and I did not really have many friends from Texas State specifically. I kind of struggled in that area. I excelled more academically the first year, which I'm honestly very shocked by but also proud of.

Judy Oskam: 6:56

So sure that was my, and you should be.

Grace White: 6:58

Thank you you yes, yeah, so that was my big thing was like, okay, well, I have a footing on my academic aspects now. So I was like I really do need to like push myself and do something like this. And I think even the fact that we all knew we're all going to be stuck together for three weeks, like we should build these bonds together, and now, like these people that I've met, like I, we're so excited to see each other in Texas State.

Judy Oskam: 7:21

Now that's going to be so fun.

Grace White: 7:22

Yeah, we're so excited to go to football games now together and like build these connections and bonds, and even one of us we were talking about, like maybe we'll be roommates- you could roommate, yeah, so we're so excited about that. So I'm really happy. I feel like that's been. My biggest thing is I've actually met people that can be lifelong friends if we really put that effort into, and I'm just really excited to be back home to do that, but yeah, saying no, just just trying to be out there more.

Grace White: 7:47

I love that yeah, I was talking to my friends back home. They're like yeah, you've been really out and about.

Judy Oskam: 7:51

I'm like I know this is new for me, so yeah, yeah. Well, part of the assignment has been to do some social media, and you've actually done that, for your client has been queen margaret university, so you guys have kind of had a little taste of that yeah, jim is supposed to upload ours soon oh nice, nice 24 hour life yes, it's like here, but yes, we're very excited well, and and living in the dorm and yet, being a part of uh, connected to a big city edinburgh is a huge city and what have you?

Judy Oskam: 8:25

what are some tourist things that you've done and things that you've seen that you would recommend for someone traveling over here?

Grace White: 8:33

we've really tried to hit everything, like the first week it was like 25 000 steps a day day like running, running, running. But the sites are beautiful. So just we were walking on the Royal Mile, which is such a tourist spot, but it's so meant to be.

Judy Oskam: 8:49

Iconic. It's so iconic it really is.

Grace White: 8:51

And so all of the streets kind of sprout out from the Royal Mile. So we did a lot of that. Where we found some shops, either on tiktok or just like from recommendations and what we will like, map it to that spot and then from there we just walk. So we were walking everywhere. But victoria street is super fun, but there's also other streets, even like closer to the waverly uh train station, and we will walk that, and there are like this like jurassic park bar or something like that.

Grace White: 9:21

So we're just like wait, that's cool so we start walking all the way down. So we've been just like really wandering. But it's so close to, like, the central area of Edinburgh and, um, we also have done Dean's Village, looking at the sites, like that, it's just so nice to see. But, um, we loved Calton Hill specifically. We've been there probably the most out of anything else and I've seen some things on my like for you page from locals saying like if you, you should do Arthur's Seat, but you don't have to do it every night, like you should go to Calton Hill, which is like, arguably like eight minutes from the train station and it's less of a hike and it's a beautiful view, arguably maybe better, um, seeing the town, seeing the city, um, and watching the sunset from there, and the sunsets have been so beautiful I saw some of your posts on that.

Grace White: 10:10

It's so pretty it's so pretty and we can like bring a little snack and we'll eat there. So we've been really like trying to see the sites, the most. And even like just from Prince's Garden. That's been beautiful and the view to the castle there is arguably maybe better than even just going into the castle, just seeing and imagining all of that?

Judy Oskam: 10:34

Yeah, exactly.

Grace White: 10:35

Imagining and we did do the castle, but I think most of us can say that the view from outside of it, looking at it, has been like extraordinary to look at. So we've just done a lot of the walks. Has been the big thing. But, Prince's Garden is just probably one of the best.

Judy Oskam: 10:51

And the train. Everyone loves the train. It's so easy Six minutes into Edinburgh from the campus.

Grace White: 10:58

Yeah, it's been pretty straightforward with the train experience. I think, honestly, the first time we ever had gone on the train was the first day that we got there and it was just my little group of three and it was honestly like the biggest culture shock was getting on that train and we were during like rush hour for sure, and we did not know and everyone was just so lively and chatty and everyone was wearing like something different and we were looking at everyone and we're just quiet, like we were quiet the entire ride.

Grace White: 11:32

And we're just like, oh my gosh, like we can't believe we're here, like this is crazy, and it was like everyone was kind of chatting with each other, even though they weren't in the same parties, and so that was really cool very friendly, very friendly and like welcoming and so that was really cool to like just see that. And then the rest of the train rides have been a little more like relaxed and chill, and so we've seen like different sides of each like transportation yeah, yeah, and the buses are another opportunity.

Judy Oskam: 11:59

You just have to make sure I got on the wrong bus. Oh, we, yeah, we did that literally the first.

Grace White: 12:04

We were waiting for our rooms and we get there and we take the wrong. We did not understand that we had to be on the right side of the road and we just decided to take a little just jump on that bus tour to all through edinburgh and we made it to the very end of where the Highland cows are.

Judy Oskam: 12:21

Oh my gosh.

Grace White: 12:21

So we went all the way through, and then we kind of went all the way back, and so it was a mistake, but a happy mistake yes, we were very happy to see everything. It was just so exciting, like it really just opened our eyes. So we have so much to do here, so well and travel kind of.

Judy Oskam: 12:36

Does that for you, doesn't it?

Grace White: 12:37

I mean, if you can be open to travel and you can realize that, oh, a wrong turn might lead you to a right path, if you will right I know that we anticipated mistakes and like bumps in the road, um, but I wasn't anticipating how much, but I was so happy that we had those mistakes because it was such a bonding moment too.

Grace White: 12:57

Like, yeah, um, yoali Allison and I, we that's how we bonded we were on that bus for like an hour and we just talked and talked, and talked and we're like we just met each other like 20 minutes ago and so we, we like, now have this bond and we've done the same thing where we've gotten on the wrong thing, but now we're here, and we might as well walk, so it's just been super fun to like have those kind of mistakes, but you're doing it with people, right?

Judy Oskam: 13:19

it's so fun actually, and people you get to go home with and be friends with yeah and I kind of forget that we're all Texas State students.

Grace White: 13:27

I'm like, wait, we're all gonna be.

Judy Oskam: 13:28

I together anyway. Well, here you're all international students, so you really are international students representing your country, but also Texas State University. So that must feel kind of special in a way, doesn't it? The first ones, too, in this campus.

Grace White: 13:43

Yeah, I was not aware that we were the first ones. So now we're like this is so cool. We need to tell people about it.

Judy Oskam: 13:48

Yes, you're kind of starting the trend there and moving forward. But well, what would you recommend to someone who might be thinking about study abroad sometime in their college career? They don't know where. We have so many programs right on campus. What would you recommend?

Grace White: 14:03

I would say like, do it, no matter like who you are as a person, like there are so many types of activities and so many types of, um, different programs that you can look into. And I am the kind of person that, like I was really not gonna do it. And then I'm like, no, like maybe I'll try it and I'll see if I do the application and everything. And I'm like just so proud that I have done that and you're gonna be proud of yourself. And, um, I've never been to Europe before. So I'm like, is this a good idea? Like I'm gonna be alone, but not really alone.

Grace White: 14:34

So I don't really know, and I anticipated if I hadn't really clicked with anyone, like I was like, okay, well, I'll do solo and I'll learn from myself like how to navigate a new environment. And, um, it's such a like a prideful thing now that I've been able to to navigate. And I think that everyone, no matter like who you are, how extroverted, introverted you are, it is such a learning opportunity and if you are nervous about making friends, like you will make friends. Like there's no way that you're not gonna experience this with other people and not make friends so it's, it's really like honestly, in everyone's best interests, and the the money aspect is always you gotta save, you gotta save that money.

Grace White: 15:16

It is expensive, it is expensive, but also the fact that this was the most affordable program was in its favor, and I was really excited about that because I was like well, now I can worry about other things with this money that I had thought I needed for such an extreme travel yeah.

Judy Oskam: 15:34

And there are scholarships available. Yes, there are scholarships, you just have to apply. Some students don't apply.

Grace White: 15:38

Yeah, so it's been very helpful our little canvas site, have the site with all the different notifications of scholarships as well, so I looked into those as well.

Judy Oskam: 15:50

Yeah, Emma's done a great job on that. She's done a super. So you're going to go back to Texas and it's going to be hot, we know that. But how are you going to do things differently? Are you going to do anything differently when you're there? What are you taking back, is my question.

Grace White: 16:09

I think I am definitely taking. Just being solo is totally okay and doing things like, just like whatever I did back in my time being solo, but asking people to do things with me. I think it's been such a fun opportunity to navigate this experience with other people and meeting new personalities and just everyone is a fun character, like they're all a lot of characters in our class a lot of characters, but I think that's been a really cool thing.

Grace White: 16:45

That coming back to Texas State is like just being so much more open minded with who you're meeting and I really didn't know if I was going to meet all these people and have such a bond, all these people and have such a bond. So I think, being more open-minded to everyone and my peers and just doing some fun things in Texas State with the activities Honestly just going to a football game with them- Joining, say yes, joining saying yes, doing everything.

Grace White: 17:13

I love it. Life is too short. Life is too short, you're exactly right. It's like one in.

Judy Oskam: 17:18

Rome. It's your life, yes, it's your life. So it is what you make it right. Well, we're here to help you do that. So that's fantastic. It's been fun, it's been great. Thanks so much for joining us on Stories of Change and Creativity, Scotland edition. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure and follow the podcast and give us a like and a review. It really helps more listeners discover these inspiring stories. Thanks for listening.