Rolin Weber, a senior history and screenwriting double major, has participated in four study abroad programs during his time at LMU.
Rolin Weber, a senior history and screenwriting double major, has participated in four study abroad programs during his time at LMU — a rare achievement for a student at the University. A Westchester local, Weber has combined his on-campus experience with international study to explore cultures and academic opportunities beyond Los Angeles.
With the spring 2026 study abroad application deadline approaching on Sept. 26, the Loyolan spoke with Weber about his international experiences, the challenges and lessons he encountered and the advice he would give to fellow students considering studying abroad.
You studied abroad four times — that’s rare for an LMU student. What motivated you to keep going back?
Growing up in LA is fantastic because there’s so much here, but it’s also cursed for that reason. It’s like a bubble — you feel like everything’s in LA, so you move here for two years and end up staying for 25. Growing up here, I felt like I had everything figured out, but I realized I did want to travel at some point.
The opportunity came at LMU, where I was able to apply for a scholarship for my first study abroad program in Oxford, England. I went, checked it out and from there realized I had to get out of LA. Being able to see the world gave me the bug to keep doing it. From there, I thought, “let’s see what other opportunities I can find.” Using the same medium to apply for scholarships, I was able to go on my other study abroad programs.
When did you go abroad and where did you travel each time?
My first program was the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in 2023, when I studied in Oxford, England. It was a philosophy and history program — I took a class on the history of pirates and another on the philosophy of science and technology, which was pretty cool.
The second time was in Bologna, Italy, for a film program where I got to attend a festival called Il Cinema Ritrovato.
My third study abroad was a full semester in Budapest, Hungary, last spring. That was an amazing experience because Hungary really shows the contrast between Western and Eastern Europe — it was interesting to see those cultural differences up close. It was also the farthest I’d ever been from home.
Finally, this past summer, I went to Cork, Ireland.
Rolin Weber said Ireland was his favorite study abroad program because of its small-town feel and the connections he made.
How has studying abroad changed the way you see the world?
For me, whenever I would go to study somewhere, I never looked at photos of the place beforehand because I wanted to be surprised. Going to a place and immersing yourself in it actualizes the fact that the world is so much larger than the little spheres we exist in.
A lot of the time, when you travel somewhere, the problems you felt were plaguing you back home start to feel less overwhelming. It’s because you can put it into context — there are people 7,000 miles away living their own lives and dealing with their own problems.
Which program was your favorite? Could you rank your experiences and briefly share why?
That’s tough. It’s hard to rank them because each program had something to offer and they were all in such different areas. The through line across all of them is that the people you meet and the people you’re studying with really make the program.
But if I had to rank them, it would go like this:
1) Cork, Ireland
Cork would probably be number one for me, just because it’s the place I felt most connected with. It’s the second-largest city in Ireland after Dublin and yet it feels like a small town. You can talk to someone in a pub, then two days later, you’re walking down the street and the same person taps you on the shoulder, says hello, then walks with you along the river. In Cork, the people really want to connect and that stood out to me.
Rolin Weber highlighted Italy’s food and history as his favorite parts of the program.
2) Bologna, Italy
Right after that, it would probably have to be Bologna — the city is beautiful. As someone who loves history, it’s like walking through a medieval town. The program itself was amazing too, because we had classes with LMU professors and then a week-long film festival. You’re watching old restored films and in between screenings, you’re eating incredible Italian food. It doesn’t really get much better than that.
3) Budapest, Hungary
Number three would be Budapest. To me, that was the one where I felt the most removed from my own life. The language was terrifying at first — it’s agglutinative, so instead of having different words like we do in English, Hungarian adds modifiers onto a base word. You can end up with a 26-character word that just means “he’s running that way.” It was intimidating, but it also forced me to learn and figure things out.
4) Oxford, England
Last, but definitely not least, would be Oxford. It’s Oxford — you’re walking around and you can’t believe you’re there. We actually got to stay in the dorms at Oxford University, so it’s basically the closest you can get to being an Oxford student without actually getting in. Our classes were taught by LMU professors inside Oxford classrooms and I spent my time visiting museums, enjoying the history and even trying out the pub culture.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while abroad and how did you overcome it?
I think the biggest challenge is being willing to feel a little embarrassed. Not because anyone’s trying to embarrass you, but as an American, we have a very particular way of doing things and that doesn’t always translate in other countries. There were countless moments in every place where I felt completely lost, trying to figure out public transit or even trying to get something from a pharmacy in Italy.
You have to be okay with looking a little silly. The key is realizing that most people aren’t judging you — they’re usually willing to help if you approach them with kindness and openness and admit, “I actually don’t know what I’m doing. Can you help me?”
I think that’s one of the lessons I learned while abroad: a certain level of humility. You get your ego knocked down a few notches because you don’t always know where the deodorant is, but that’s part of the experience.
What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your time abroad?
I hear this a lot from people, but for me, going abroad and seeing it for myself really cemented it: people are much more similar than they are different. In every place I went, I could sit down with people, have a chat, crack some jokes and connect. People have a good sense of humor and genuinely want to talk.
The key, I’ve found, is being willing to listen. Especially coming from California, sometimes when you tell people where you’re from, they’re impressed. But you have to resist the urge to talk about all your LA stuff. Instead, ask about their lives: “Where should I get lunch today?” or “What should I see in the city?”
People love sharing their culture if you ask. It’s the same everywhere — you might ask someone for a local food recommendation and they’ll be excited to point you to their favorite spot. Having that willingness to engage and ask questions lets you learn all the little things you wouldn’t find in a guidebook.
How do you think your experiences abroad will influence your life after LMU?
I’ll never forget it! I feel like I grew abroad by being able to learn lessons and get through difficulties, which taught me that I can rely on myself in many different contexts.
It prepares you for the unexpected trials of life that you have after college. Just by going through the experience of being so far removed from your normal life outside of the U.S., when you come back, everyday life feels a bit easier — like things aren’t quite as difficult anymore.
If you could go back to your freshman year, what advice would you give yourself about studying abroad?
I’d say, definitely study abroad. Look into the programs and see what they offer. And don’t be scared to travel to a place you haven’t heard of before. When I first started, I picked Oxford because I knew the name and thought it would be cool.
But you get so much more out of studying abroad the further you are from your own context. If I could go back to my freshman-year self, I’d tell him to take the leap — try something new, go as far as you can, because you’ll learn so much more that way.
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