I have had the privilege of (basically) getting three degrees at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Be’er Sheva. Just after I made Aliyah, I started my master’s in social work, which included two years of bachelor’s level work and an internship, all of which I completed in 2016. Because I just hadn’t had enough, I started my Ph.D. in Social Work in the fall of 2018. Ever since my first trip to Be’er Sheva, I knew deep down that I wanted to study and research at BGU, and I am so happy that this dream has come true!

BGU, as is the same with Be’er Sheva itself, has this alluring pull to it. Most Israeli universities don’t offer that “American college experience,” – a thriving campus culture with lots of student body activities, coupled with a unique Israeli experience. Classes are cancelled for the massive Purim costume party in front of the student union building; annual Student Day festivities of concerts and fun to help you relax before the end of the year push; and even memorial ceremonies (for Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israeli Memorial Day); as well as social activism projects that work to bring the students together around a common theme. BGU offers that and so much more.

Of course, being new to Israel, I was terrified of starting classes in a different language and in a different academic system. But I found so many people along the way who were willing to go above and beyond to help me understand everything and to help me have a successful academic career. This includes administrative staff taking the extra minute to explain a (for me, at least) complicated process, and professors even translated test into English for me so they could test my knowledge and not my Hebrew. My Israeli classmates were also often willing to help push me along, and I was certainly happy to offer my native English skills to help them edit papers and understand academic articles. Getting my master’s in Hebrew in a profession that is based on talking wasn’t easy, but the student community and staff at BGU showed a lot of patience, support, and willingness to help complete my studies successfully.

Studying here is not “all work and no play” (remember: cancelled classes for a massive Purim party). The campus itself is alive with things to do. There’s Studio Positive for all of your fitness class needs, a great gym and pool (both the indoor and outdoor pool are FREE for students), the Negative which is a movie theater in the middle of campus that shows awesome movies for cheap, great food options, and tons of clubs and organizations to join based on your likes and interests. The campus itself is beautiful, and there’s lots of green space to spread out for a chat over coffee or a quick nap in the desert sun. There are tons of hidden treasures all over campus, and in all my years as a student at BGU, I haven’t and won’t find them all. The university is a thriving ecosystem all on its own, almost entirely independent of the city around it.

But don’t let that make you think that Be’er Sheva doesn’t have what to offer, too! The student life in this city is what Israelis talk about for years, even after they’ve finished their studies. The nightlife is fun and is always reinventing itself. You can go out dancing one night, go to the rock-climbing gym in the Old City another night, listen to a stimulating lecture on the bar at your neighborhood pub another night, do some slacklining with your friends the next night, and then finish your week of with a show at one of the many local theaters. You can find affordable and delicious food all over the city. Recently, many vegetarian and vegan restaurants have been opening to cater to the needs of the student population. You can also find and be a part of fun community projects like HaReshet, a community of students and young adults interested in positive place-making around the city; or HaNegaria, a community woodworking shop staffed with volunteers to help YOU make those shelves you’ve always wanted for your living room without having to go to Ikea to buy (but if you need, Ikea is just on the edge of town, so you’re covered!). You’ll have to make time to study because of all the fun going on, but fear not, it’s possible!

I’ve loved every minute of student life here at BGU, and I’m proud to be continuing my academic path at this innovative, international university. I’m also so happy to be a resident of Be’er Sheva, a funky desert city with a little something for everyone, student or not.

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