Name: Anna Dekle
Sport: Women's Soccer
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
Major: Psychology
Minors: Mathematics
Study abroad location: University College London
What classes did you take while studying abroad/which were your favorite?
Psychology of Individual Differences, Social Psychology, Introduction to Roman Archaeology, Architecture in London: Twentieth Century Modernism in London
As a psychology major, I really enjoyed my 'Psychology of Individual Differences' course as it expanded on material I had learned in the fall semester during 'Personality Psychology' at Haverford. It was really amazing to be able to learn from professors whose research I have had extensive exposure to during Haverford psychology courses. Although psychology is a large interest of mine, I actually really enjoyed the opportunity to experience a different kind of course in the 'Architecture in London' module. Each class was on-site, which meant I was able to see various buildings that hold significance to London but that I may not necessarily have gone to or known anything about. I loved being able to focus on one building for each of my two papers in that course and doing deep-leveled research to understand its place within London and what it means to the city.
Most interesting/memorable moments from semester abroad?
In reflecting on my past semester, there were a plethora of memorable moments. Of course, there were the moments of feeling lonely yet living in a huge city or times of genuinely missing Haverford and my teammates/friends there, but there were so many interesting moments that will always stick with me. Because I was living in an urban environment, every day was filled with a memory. However, the most memorable moment was when I attended a Chelsea soccer match with a friend. Our seats were INCREDIBLE--we were in the official Chelsea section, only a few rows back from the pitch. It was amazing to be a part of the fan comradery that was present before and after the game, as well as at the match itself; I will never forget participating in the chants or cheering as the team that would go on to finish at the top of the Premier League table would score multiple goals.
What your future career plans?
Following college, I hope to go into a career that focuses on consumer psychology or behavioral economics--whether this is in the form of a marketing group, advertising agency, or a large corporation, I have yet to find out. However, I have grown really passionate about the power of understanding people's emotional intelligence and decision-making processes.
How did studying abroad help your academic and/or professional career?
I think studying abroad really aided the development of my academic and professional career. From an academic perspective, I was able to go study psychology at a world-renowned university, especially in the field of psychology--this was an aspect that drew me to attending University College London. Additionally, it gave me a new type of academic experience in multiple ways--be it attending on-site lectures or being in a lecture hall of two to three hundred students, it was very different from my classes at Haverford. From a future professional career perspective, I know that my time abroad at a university with such a strong reputation will likely provide benefits in the future.
What did you do to prepare for the upcoming season while your teammates participated in the non-traditional season?
A very tough part of the study abroad experience is adapting to using a gym or exercise landscape that is radically different from Haverford. For instance, I was very much in the heart of London; it was an extremely urban environment. However, I was fortunate enough to have access to a school gym and Regent's Park (a large park with much green space to do sprints and a large running trail surrounding it). With these resources, I was able to prepare for the upcoming season whilst my teammates at Haverford were taking part in the spring season. On mornings when I knew the team was doing morning runs, it gave me the motivation to wake up extra early to get a hard workout in.