Ciaran McCaughey, School Captain 2007 - Academic Exchange
School Captain 2007, Ciaran McCaughey is studying History and Politics at Warwick University. Below is an account of his recent academic exchange to the University of California.
Although the respective cultures of Britain and America are superficially very similar, upon being immersed into Californian society there is a deep feeling of sensory overload. Huge gas-guzzling cars abound, McDonalds litter the landscape like Enver Hoxha's pillboxes and everything is centred on continual consumption. However, in the middle of one of the largest, and arguably the most consumerist, economy in the world, I found myself in a liberal, environmentally friendly oasis called Davis. It is my home for 10 months whilst I am on academic exchange from the University of Warwick to the University of California.
Located in California's central valley, and about 45 minutes from San Francisco, Davis is the archetypal American college town. There are more bicycles than residents and the bike roundabouts are so treacherous that Fraternities will set up spectator sofas alongside them in the first week of term to watch the freshmen crash. The pace of life is very different from a British university. Exams are almost constant, papers are shorter but more frequent and the huge class sizes make you feel as though you're on an educational conveyor belt. However, despite this impersonal approach, the faculty are more approachable and more contactable than the vague notion that is office hours back home. Being thrust head-first into this undergraduate assembly line was a daunting experience. The vast bureaucracy that has been set up to deal with the needs of 30,000 undergraduates requires careful navigation which proved to be a culture shock when coming from a university half the size.
As I have mentioned a few times, the effect of going on exchange for a year can feel close to overwhelming at first. Therefore it is important that there are sources of advice, networks of support that can help you wherever you find yourself. During my time in California, I have been fortunate to receive the support of two such networks. During my final year at Bury Grammar School, I had the pleasure to meet a former school captain, Geoffrey Wandesforde-Smith, who holds the position of Emeritus Professor at the university that I attend in California. Since my arrival in Davis, Geoffrey and I have met several times and been in electronic contact regularly. He has been an enormous source of advice for me as I was settling in to life here and without the Old Boys' network I would not have had such a comfortable transition to American life. Despite being thousands of miles away from home, the strength of the links that Bury Grammar School builds are still as effective as if I were back in Bury.
The second organisation that has helped me feel at home here in California has been Sigma Chi, a greek-letter Fraternity. The reality of life in a 'frat' has proved very different to the glamorised image made popular by Hollywood. Although it is primarily a social club, it is also deeply involved in campus politics, philanthropic work, sport, alumni relations with the 200,000 Sigma Chis in America and a whole host of other activities. It has provided me with a home when the dorms shut during the holidays, given me people to visit during my travels around California and even organised an internship with a political lobby group in the state capitol.
My message therefore, is that despite the weakening effects of distance, networks such as the Old Boys' Association maintain their strength through the links that are fostered whilst at school. These links have helped me when I was disorientated by California's 24/7 consumerism and byzantine higher education system, and I hope they will continue to help those like me, as well as alumni closer to home, for a long time yet.
Best,
Ciaran McCaughey (2008 Leaver)
