Things to know before your year abroad at Sorbonne University, Paris

I want to address a particular chapter of my Parisian life, the one that relates to my year abroad at Sorbonne. Anyone interested in French literature will recognise the name of the prestigious institute where such big names as Honoré de Balzac, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir studied. From a historical point of view, Sorbonne played a very important role in 1968, when the students gathered in the courtyards of the Pantheon in a rebellion against the rigid social and university systems. Even just a glance at the courtyard now brings to mind the student revolution; it has lost none of its grandeur. It seems a shame that many of the courses and faculties have been moved to other buildings.

The Applied Foreign Languages building (LEA) blends into the background - grey and unassuming both inside and outside. The classrooms are dated, with old school desks and some even sporting chalk blackboards. The best part of the university is the cafeteria where the selection of fresh French pastries - including croissants, pain au chocolat and pain au raisin - are both a bargain and delicious!

But we are talking about Erasmus and in particular the place that most Erasmus students dread the most: the university Erasmus office. Now, the level of dread is inversely proportional to the efficiency of the office itself, and my experience of the Sorbonne office is that it touches rock bottom. Which brings me to my first piece of advice:

1st Recommendation: Bring plenty of patience.

The corridor in front of the Erasmus office door is perhaps the place where you will spend the most time in Paris. If you are an optimist, rest assured that this will give you plenty of time to make new, lifelong friends amongst your fellow exchange students whilst you while away the hours in the corridor swapping life stories. The view of the city isn't bad either! Joking apart, the long queues are in part due to the inescapable paperwork as well as to the questionable decision of the office to avoid resolving almost any issue via email. However, I walked those corridors in 2015, and it may be that by 2018 they have caught up with the times.

Somewhat related...

2nd Recommendation: Try to change your learning agreement as little as possible.

At the beginning of term, the university permits you to try different courses for the first week and then decide which you want to continue with. If you come from an English university like mine, where you have a lot of freedom to make your own choices you have even more opportunities. This all seems wonderful, but be aware that it can be a double-edged sword: the more courses you want to change from those on your learning agreement, the more visits you will have to pay to the Erasmus office; not to mention the various issues regarding credits, confirmations, places left on courses, etc. At the end of the day, in order to avoid wasting your own time, this leads us to the...

3rd Recommendation: if you like a particular course but are already enrolled in others, go anyway

This advice is valid for classes held in lecture theatres with dozens and dozens of students. In my case it was a History of Theatre course, which I couldn't enrol on officially because I had already used up my available credits. However, these course lecturers generally don't mind whether you are enrolled or not, as long as you keep quiet during the lectures. This advice doesn't apply to small lectures or seminars where attendance is registered; in these cases your presence would be identified and you would be asked to leave.

4th Recommendation: Get ready to study - hard.

Whilst the buildings and classrooms of Sorbonne may not live up to its grand reputation, the courses it offers are good. Having chosen most of my courses in French literature and theatre, I had the privilege of being taught by one of the leading experts on the works of Rousseau and a Parisian theatre director - both of them being well versed in their individual subjects. It follows that attention, participation and study is expected, so roll up your sleeves, revise your French and get stuck in. My classes were always very small and personal, which meant we had good relationships with our teachers. When compared to other Erasmus students who were taking courses with a larger intake, their experiences tended to be somewhat different: oversubscribed classes, little chance to speak directly with the professor and lots of distractions. For this reason I share with you the...

5th Recommendation: Try to choose courses with few other students and lots of seminars.

Seminars are organised groups where you can discuss ideas; it is also easier to understand the language. On the one hand you will have to take a more active role in discussions, but on the other it will be a very good chance to improve your language skills and subject knowledge.

6th Recommendation: Attend local language courses for foreign students.

The attitude of lecturers to foreign students varies enormously. Some will turn a blind eye to a poor accent or a poorly conjugated verb, whilst others will expect the same of you as from the local students. It is therefore a good idea to prepare for the worst and take a refresher language course for foreign students, especially as we know that French can be very subtle. Another important point, particularly for those who have enrolled on a literature course, is the ability to debate in writing, following a clear format. This may already be familiar to those who have written essays at university, but the French format is very particular and detailed. It is best to be aware of this beforehand so you can act accordingly and avoid poor grades; your university should offer appropriate courses.

7th Recommendation: Remember to explore and make the most of being in Paris - this is just as important a part of your experience!

When you first arrive it can be difficult to settle in, find a house, find your way around the university, understand your professors and work out what they each require from you and the idea of taking exams in another language with other systems can be worrying - but remember that your year abroad isn't only about studying at a different university, but also about getting to know another culture different from your own. You can't do this simply from books; it also happens at bars, the cinema, exhibitions and everything else the city has to offer.

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