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My name is Erin O’Neill, and I am a rising third-year majoring in Health Sciences and minoring in Global Health, pursuing a career in medicine. I have recently taken on the role of Lead Bouvé Ambassador, and alongside Kaitlyn, I look forward to sharing my experiences and recruiting prospective Huskies. As part of our Bouvé Ambassador duties, we will be writing monthly blog entries, so you don’t want to miss out!
Before I dive into my first entry, it is only right that you get to know a little bit about me. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, I moved to Boston to a) get out of the Midwest and b) be fully immersed in what I call the “healthcare nucleus.”
health·care nu·cle·us
noun: the center of medical advancement and innovation; the opportunity to work with world-renowned physicians and researchers in big shiny hospitals and labs.
Many students interested in medicine in Boston take advantage of the “healthcare nucleus,” gaining impressive amounts of experience in both research and clinical settings. Although moving to a city required some adjusting, I knew that going to school in Boston would make me a competitive candidate for my future endeavors. I was admitted to Northeastern through the N.U.in Program. If you are not familiar with what that is, the N.U.in Program is a global experience offered by Northeastern that allows first-year students to start their college careers abroad. Students spend one semester studying at a Northeastern-affiliated university and move to the Boston campus beginning the second semester of their first year. I will spend my first blog post sharing my admittance process and experience as an N.U.in participant!
The Acceptance:
Imagine you are prompted with the question: “Would you like to participate in a study abroad with people from all over the world to make once in a lifetime memories?” Many people would answer yes. I selected yes when prompted with that question on my application for Northeastern. I applied to Northeastern early action, so I received my acceptance relatively quickly, and I was accepted into the N.U.in Program in January of my senior year of high school. The N.U.in Program is not an option for all students accepted into Northeastern; students are accepted into the program and must participate in a global experience as part of their admittance.
When I fully understood what N.U.in entailed, I had some mixed feelings. I was excited to have the chance to study abroad because it was something I wanted to do during college regardless; I had grown up traveling and learned to value a global mindset, wanting further to expand my knowledge of other cultures and lifestyles. N.U.in appeared perfect for me. However, I was concerned about adjusting to Boston so much later than many of my peers. My concerns were short-lived, though, because of something much larger: COVID-19.
The Decision…Amid a Pandemic:
I committed to Northeastern on March 26th, 2020. The reality of the pandemic had begun to set in. As far as I was concerned, though, I was studying abroad in Greece for the fall semester. Surely, the pandemic would resolve by then (spoiler: it did not).
The Decision Part 2:
Shortly after I committed to Northeastern, I received word from the N.U.in Program that many of its locations would not be options for students, including Greece. With Greece canceled, I had three options: N.U.in Ireland, N.U.in London, and N.U.in Boston. I chose N.U.in London. London was canceled about one month before departure. Ireland was full. Next stop: Boston.
The Semester:
Though it was unconventional, the semester proved to be an amazing experience. Because of the events leading up to the start of the academic year, many N.U.in students felt immediately connected. I made some lifelong friendships in the N.U.in Program, and for that, I’m forever grateful. It would be difficult to sum up my experience in just a few sentences, but I will highlight some of the program's unique benefits. Some perks of the N.U.in Program as a 2020 N.U.in Boston participant:
The activities. Northeastern planned a variety of events for N.U.in students to participate in. The N.U.in faculty really catered to students’ interests, so we got a lot of say in the activities planned. I was a part of N.U.in Community Council, so I actually helped with some of the programs! My favorite activity was a sunset boat cruise on the Charles River. I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up for the activity by myself. In doing so, I made a bunch of new friends! Had I not challenged myself to attend the event alone, I wouldn’t have befriended some really great people. One thing I noticed about the N.U.in the Program is that everyone I interacted with was very inclusive, so after the Charles River boat cruise, I was more inclined to sign up for events by myself! Some other activities planned by N.U.in including a trip to Cape Cod, kayaking on the Charles River, tours of Fenway Park, and more!
Charlie Card. With this magical card, I was able to travel all over Boston, learning the ins and outs of the city. My friends and I could easily hop on the T and go to the North End to grab Italian food or take a trip to Cambridge to explore Harvard Yard.
The hotel. I lived on the 26th floor of a 4-star hotel instead of a dorm; I can’t complain about that! The Westin Copley Place is about a 10-15 minute walk from campus, meaning that I spent a lot of time in the hotel and the surrounding Back Bay neighborhood. Because of COVID, students were not allowed in each other’s room, so we had to get creative by finding things to do and places to hang out. By the end of the N.U.in Program, I knew Copley Square like the back of my hand!
Reflection:
If there’s one thing you take away from this blog post, it’s to watch this video!
This is my Digital Storytelling Project. All N.U.in students are required to make one at the end of the semester. I decided to post mine on YouTube to educate people about the program and share my personal experience with it. Fun fact: the video actually won a Northeastern Student Life Award! Even though I participated in the program during COVID, Northeastern was very accommodating and did everything to ensure it was worthwhile. The program will always have a very special place in my heart, and I’ll be interested in seeing the fate of the N.U.in Program in the coming years and how it will change post-COVID. Whatever happens with it, I know it will be good!
If you have any questions about the N.U.in Program, feel free to send me an email at oneill.eri@northeastern.edu.
That’s all from me for now!
Yours Truly,
Erin