The spring semester of my junior year I spent abroad in the beautiful city of London. Unfortunately, my time abroad was cut short due to COVID-19, but I wouldn’t take back a second. The years leading up to my semester in London my Instagram feed was always flooded with beautiful pictures of other students’ semesters abroad making it look like a fairytale; and trust me it was a fairytale. I am grateful for the knowledge I learned in my classes, but the most important lessons I learned happened outside the classroom.
1) Independence
This was definitely the biggest take away from studying abroad. Before spending three months in London, I had never been outside of the United States or far from home in general. Being from New Jersey, attending Penn State is still only a car ride away.
Saying I was nervous to go is an understatement. I didn’t know too many people in my program before hopping on the plane so I was really diving headfirst into the unknown. In addition, with the new seven-hour time difference, I couldn’t call my mom at any hour of the day to destress like I was used to because she was most likely asleep.
All of these big changes at once really threw me for a loop and made my first few days really difficult. However, I was able to make amazing friends and feel at home in London. When I was struck with a new challenge I learned to face it on my own without my mom’s wisdom. The first time I navigated myself from my apartment to the grocery store and back without Google Maps was a huge win for me in independence.
2) How to really look both ways before crossing the street
This might sound silly, but in London, the cars drive on the left side of the road. My instinctual right-left-right look was suddenly a safety hazard. Looking back I feel bad for all of the drivers and bikers for any close calls I may have caused. Let’s just say now I look about a hundred times before crossing just to make sure it’s safe to cross.
4) An appreciation for history
I know plenty of countries have a rich history that dates back way before the birth of America, but actually being there is totally different. My program took us on field trips around London to see some historic places like the Tower of London.
The Tower of London has many towers you can explore. The White Tower is one of the oldest buildings in London with the construction dating back to 1087. The feeling of being somewhere older than my native country was incredibly surreal. I’m not a history buff, but it’s impossible to not appreciate the rich history surrounding me.
5) An open mind
Culture shock hit harder than I expected. I loved learning and experiencing a new culture, but it was a lot to take in all at once. The key to culture shock is keeping an open mind.
When I took a trip to Scotland I was faced with haggis. Haggis is a type of pudding composed of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep. It didn’t sound the most appetizing, but it’s a part of the Scottish culture. I wanted to immerse myself in the culture so I mustered up the courage to try it. It’s not something I want to eat again, however, I was proud of myself for being able to try something new.
Pre-abroad me could never be so bold!
6) A sense of fashion
Europeans really know how to dress. As a typical college student, sweatpants are my uniform. I remember the first time I ran errands I was wearing a hoodie, baggy sweatpants, and sneakers with a messy bun and my glasses. Back in State College, walking through downtown in this outfit wouldn’t draw any attention my way. In London on the other hand, I got lots of looks.
Quickly I realized I needed to look presentable on a pretty daily basis, which I wasn’t used to. I actually begun to love dressing well. When I looked cute ,I felt cute. This allowed me to start my day feeling good about myself. I have continued doing this after returning home and it still puts me in a great mindset to start my day.
7) Trust
Being in a new place with new people taught me how to trust others. Leaving my support system back in America, I had to break out of my shell and find people who could make me feel more at home. I am grateful for the new support system I was able to create with other students in my program who made me feel safe and loved.
While abroad I was also in my first long-distance relationship since I had to leave my boyfriend back at Penn State. I had to trust that the good thing we had going wouldn’t change after months of being apart. I had to trust that nothing would change and we would be able to make it work. We thankfully were able to work things out by calling and texting almost every day despite being an ocean away.
Studying abroad really changes a person. With all these new experiences, beautiful sights, and fantastic people met I will truly never be the same. Hopefully, once things start to go back to normal studying abroad will be an option again for more college students. Thank you, London for giving me a home and teaching valuable lessons I will never forget.