Meet the Author!
Hello! My name is Heather. I am a third-year student at Pitt, pursuing a dual degree in Accounting and Neuroscience. At first glance, it may seem like a puzzling combination, but when you break down both subjects, you can see some cool parallels and intersections. By understanding how the brain responds to stressors and how that, in turn, impacts behavior, you can gain some cool insight into decisions being made in the business world. But, enough about that! We are here to talk about study abroad!
I am currently in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studying at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) for the Fall 2026 semester (just arrived yesterday!). I was initially drawn to QUB because of its top-notch curriculum, especially in business, so I was extremely excited to take business courses in an entirely new environment and immerse myself in learning about business organizations from an international perspective. I was also very drawn to the location, as I had never traveled to Europe before, and Belfast seemed like the perfect first city to go to. It still gives me easy access to other European countries/cities but has much less of the hustle and bustle of a big city like London. As someone who had originally wanted less busy city vibes for college (ironic going to Pitt, right?), I was instantly drawn to Belfast and Northern Ireland in general.
During my time here at Queen’s, I really want to challenge myself on a personal level by reaching out first to new faces. I am always letting others reach out first, so this time I want to open my door when I hear new voices in the hallway rather than hiding away. From an academic perspective, I really want to soak in the cultural and environmental differences between QUB and Pitt. There will be so many new opinions and perspectives shared in class, and I also really want to share the views shaped by my time at Pitt and see how they compare to those from Queen’s students or other international students. A final goal is to join professional business clubs here at QUB. Even if it is only for a semester, I think that joining clubs for professional development in a completely new place can really help to bring new light to important tasks like networking, resume-building, and interview proficiency.
Living in Belfast!
While I amm here in Belfast, I will be staying in a half-dorm, half-apartment-style housing. A single floor will have 11 girls (including myself), and we each have our own room while sharing a kitchen, two bathrooms, and a small living/dining room area. This housing is located in a large village of other Queen’s accommodations with similar layouts. Something interesting about the accommodations at QUB is that there are no dining facilities like The Eatery or The Perch that Pitt students are familiar with. This means you either eat out or cook every meal. This additional time commitment to cooking almost every night will be an interesting adjustment for me, as I was always on a meal plan at Pitt.
My dorm is located about 15 minutes from the heart of campus, aka Lanyon Building (pictured below). I will be taking three classes here at Queen’s, and I am looking forward to experiencing a new academic setting and engaging in discussions with the professors and students here. There is also so much beautiful architecture all around campus, and I am really excited to explore the campus and surrounding City Center over the next three months. Even a little rain does not dampen the beauty of Queen’s.
Belfast in general is quite walkable, with lots of shopping and restaurants all around. It is honestly so easy to just start walking and end up almost 40 minutes away from campus and at the heart of Belfast City Center (personal experience…). I am definitely still getting used to seeing cars drive on opposite sides of the roads, and just crossing the street suddenly became a whole new experience too.
Overall, I hope to gain more confidence in putting myself out there in new places and meeting new people. I want to get comfortable doing uncomfortable things. That will be the motto for my time abroad. Stick around to see if it comes true!
