Lessons Learned from London

This past semester here in London has taught me a lot about myself. Before arriving in London, I was anxious and nervous about what this semester would bring me and the group of people who I would be spending the next four months with. In the past I have been shy when it comes to meeting new people and instead stayed in my comfort zone with the same best friends that I have had since high school. After transferring schools from Iowa to be closer to home and the people closest to me, I was nervous to spend a semester in London, but also anxious to push my boundaries.

After arriving in London, I pleasantly surprised to be greeted with three friendly roommates and one that I was even able to travel here with, Katie. This fortunate situation, that left me instantly at ease, paved the way for the rest of the semester. I gradually got to know the other girls on our flat and the remainder of the participants in our program. I was shocked to find that I was not at all home sick; what with the busy itinerary of events provided to us by Josh and the constant company in the flat, it was hard to find a second to miss home.

One important thing that I learned here in London is not to judge anyone before you’ve had a chance to get to know them. I myself should have already known this, having being told that I come off as a really quiet person at first. The people in our program are all so very different from one another and that’s one of the things I love so much about it. There are those that take time, even months to be able to understand, and those that are so loud and outgoing that I feel I understand them from the first day. Our living circumstances and the busy daily scheduled surrounded by this group of people helped me to get to know a great group of individuals that I never would have met if it wasn’t for London.

Another thing that London has taught me is to push myself to try new things and be more adventurous. I’m ashamed to say that it took me at least the first month to brave the tube by myself, but it was an empowering moment. My friends and family could tell you about all the countless times that I’ve gotten lost or put myself in some hilariously awful situation, and that’s one thing I wanted to avoid during my time in London. But I’m proud to say that I now know how to read the tube map and almost never get lost during my daily excursions.

All of my travels during my semester here have all shown me how to be a more responsible and independent person. No longer is my mom by my side to hold my passport or present my boarding pass. During these past couple months it was either being organized and prepared or I would basically be screwed, for lack of a better term, during my travels. There was also the issue of money. I either had to learn how to balance my money during these expensive last few months, or miss out on all the fun activities and travels that I experienced.

One thing that I am very grateful to have experienced is the amazing group dynamic and interactions within the study abroad program. Coming from a huge university such as the University of Wisconsin, it’s hard to form close relationships and bonds with teachers and faculty. I loved having the opportunity to get to know Steven and all of the great British faculty members that have been involved in our London education. And let’s not forget Josh and Mary. Mary for being there to step in and either scare us out of traveling or receiving noise complaints, and Josh to be there every step of the way, doing the dirty work and planning the events called pound trips that we’ve all grown to love.

This semester has taught me so many different things about myself and about this great group of people I have traveled here with. I am very sad to already be leaving in just four days, but I know I will remember this experience with only positive thoughts and look back on it as my favorite college experience. I hope that my semester here in London has made me a stronger and more accepting person. I also look forward to seeing my fellow London classmates, and hopefully Steven back at the UW Campus. Hopefully someday I’ll return here to London, but until then I have my pictures and travel journals to remind me of all the great times we’ve had this semester.