Coming to NYU London was not an easy decision to make. It involved a lot of research, conversations, and panicked phone calls with my mom and dad. It was a daunting choice. There was a lot of hesitation and concerns from myself and my family members. But soon, forms were submitted, plane tickets were booked, and suitcases were packed. I began to say goodbye to my family and friends one by one and everything felt real for the first time since thinking about studying abroad in the first place. Now, after being here for about two weeks, I can look back on how this journey began and look forward to everything that lies ahead.
As I sat in the airport with my future roommate, I had no concept of the world I was about to enter. After arriving in London and whilst ubering to our dorm, I tried to look around to make sense of where I was. Still now, writing this, I feel that I have a very small grasp on the city of London as a whole. To be fair, I have lived in New York for two years and have been going there since I was a child and will never feel as though I have a grasp on that city. This ungraspable nature of London is exciting, as there will always be something new to explore and experience.
Going back to my arrival in my new living space with six new friends, I cannot lie and say that it wasn’t overwhelming. To this day, I often feel overwhelmed at the limitless things to see while in London and in the countries that surround. As I unpacked and tried to fit my already smaller wardrobe into an even smaller dresser, I realized I no longer had my favorite pillow or an extra long twin bed. As I took a jet lag nap and my feet were hanging off the end of the mattress, I couldn’t help but long for my bed at home.
Adventuring out of the dorm and feeling completely lost, I longed for familiarity, comfort, the grid system of New York City, and my favorite halal cart right outside of my dorm building. I missed seeing the same food in the grocery stores. I began to miss my friends and family right away. I spent my first day in London feeling a little lost and wondering if I made the right decision to come here.
Something happened on my second day in London. I met people who I connected with. I knew the way to my classes. I began to pass familiar streets and restaurants. I started hanging out consistently with the girls who I had met and liked them better with every interaction. I cleaned up my room and hung up pictures. I sorted my books and filled out my calendars. I took a lot of deep breaths.
Now, after two weeks of living in London, I have two more pillows, have already been to Scotland, and have a group of girls who I can genuinely call friends and an ambition to soak in as much of the city as possible. The overwhelming feeling that I should always be doing something or exploring the city has not faded and I do not think it ever will. However, I now realize that there is no right way to study abroad. As long as I remain happy and comfortable, I will leave this journey with no regrets, which is my one goal throughout this semester. I can’t say that I am ready to move to England as soon as I graduate, but I am ready to enjoy my time here and be welcomed back into New York City when the time comes.