“Where do you want to spend your January Term?” This is a question NYU Abu Dhabi students will be hearing over and over again as registrations for January term courses kick off this week. Accra, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Florence, London, New York, Shanghai, Sydney, Washington D.C., all these are sites that will be placed at the top of students’ preference lists. There is one city missing from this cosmopolitan mix, one that alphabetically should be placed at the very beginning, yet is usually found at the end of students’ preference lists: Abu Dhabi.

For most NYUAD students, J-Terms represent an opportunity to study abroad while studying abroad. For freshmen, this term is the first chance to travel through the Global Network University. J-Terms, however, can also be a chance to spend another month in Abu Dhabi, and experience its culture more in-depth, not only independently, but also through class-related day trips and group projects.

For sophomore Yi Yi Yeap, the class International Peacebuilding and the Role of Education was not her first choice for her first J-Term.

“However, I did end up loving the class, as it made me explore more about what the Social Research and Public Policy major has to offer and confirmed my interest in it,” said Yeap.

Yeap was also able to participate in the Global Issues Network Conference, an event hosted by NYUAD that is held at the end of January.

For sophomore Thinh Tran, Race and Ethnicity, another class in Abu Dhabi, provided an exciting opportunity to work in a research lab.

“Staying in Abu Dhabi my first J-Term allowed me to come into contact with a research lab here, where I continue to work until now, something that wouldn’t have been possible if I had gone abroad,” she explained.

Spending a J-Term in Abu Dhabi also enabled Yeap and Tran to explore the city much more than during their first semesters as freshmen.

“My J-Term class met for three hours every afternoon, so I had the whole morning and evening off,” Tran explained.

Students spent this extra time visiting local restaurants, malls and soaking up the Abu Dhabi sun since the weather in January is more pleasant.

“I had enough free time, so I invited friends from back home to visit, showing them around Abu Dhabi and Dubai”. said sophomore Mariam El Zoghby who took Tales of Love and Death.

In addition to independent exploration, the students were able to visit other parts of the UAE through class-organized trips to cities such as Al Ain, Dubai or Sharjah. Some courses even had trips to other countries. Students taking Energy, Development and International Politics traveled to Saudi Arabia in J-Term 2014.

This year, field trips can be used as an excuse for foodies to make culinary discoveries through Food in the Global Kitchen. Writers can study Arabic Literature through Cities and Modern Arabic Literature, try their hand at fiction through Fiction Writing: Craft Workshop, or combine literature and the performing arts through Performative Literature: Acting Epics, Romances, Ballads and Stories. For those looking to complete their Islamic Studies requirement, there are two available courses: History of Modern Iran: Shi’ism, Politics and Culture and Theater in the Arab World.

Those looking to complete a core can choose from a list of eight courses, ranging from Sound(ings), a course cross-listed with Music that analyzes the acoustic patterns encountered in urban and natural environments, to Big Data, a course that explores the uses of data sets in major companies. Those interested in the social sciences can examine the relationship between peace and education in International Peacebuilding and the Role of Education or learn more about rising economic powers through Emerging Powers. Social Networks delves into the complexities of the bonds between members of different communities. And these are just several examples of the twenty-eight J-Term courses offered in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

Although most of the information presented here can be found on the student portal or in this year’s academic bulletin, most students, especially those choosing their first or second J-Term, are not thinking of spending it in Abu Dhabi. This article isn’t supposed to change your mind about your favourite J-term destination but rather aims to remind you that there are plenty of options to choose from on your home campus. Whether they are your first choice or not, a J-Term in Abu Dhabi could turn out to provide you with fantastic opportunities and an overall enriching experience. If this is your first or second J-term, and you want to spend it abroad, but end up being placed in a course in Abu Dhabi, your reaction shouldn’t be ‘I have to spend January here’ but ‘I get to spend January here!’