As a junior studying in London for her Fall semester, I was so excited to explore a new city and a new continent. Then I realized that London doesn’t have that same culture as on-campus housing that much of the United States has. But, that didn’t stop me from going. If anything, it has proven to be a valuable lesson in adaptation and time management.
I’ll be honest: I am not a morning person. But commuting to campus has made me one by necessity and I am better for it. Waking up earlier because I have to take public transportation to class means that I use my mornings to reflect and mentally prepare myself for the day. It has significantly helped soften the anxiety of living alone in a new city halfway across the world. I also remind myself how incredibly grateful I am to be having this opportunity of a lifetime. And funnily enough, I do enjoy my morning tea.
With my schedule, lectures are only once a week with an additional discussion section (called “seminars” or “class”) sometime in the week. Because I only take 4 modules and need to commute if I want to go back to my dorm, I take advantage of my extra time in central London to explore and get to know more of the city — of course, assuming I’ve done my readings for the day. I’ll walk or take the bus to nearby libraries or museums, or I’ll walk to Soho or Covent Garden to find new cafes and shops to explore. To escape the cityscape I usually take strolls in St. James Park and find myself relating more and more to the ducks (I too want to take a break by just relaxing on the grass while eating).
Coming back to my dorm in the evening means that in the morning I have to pack for everything I could possibly need, like chargers for my phone and computers because I can’t easily go back to my dorm without spending around £2-3. Not to mention that I need to plan out when and where I take public transportation if I want to make it on time to where I need to be — a lesson hard-earned if the amount of times I narrowly missed my bus are anything to go by.
I came to England with the goal to stretch outside my comfort zone and try new things. Public transportation makes it incredibly easy to move around London and thus lets me achieve my goal a whole lot more easily. Both solo and group trips on the weekend have helped me ground myself when school work starts creeping up on me.
Overall I think studying abroad has made me more independent and confident with running my own life. Adapting and time management are skills that are essential to any aspect of life, whether personal, professional, or academic.
Sophia Escobar
Fall 2024
GW Exchange - King's College London
Columbian College of Arts and Science
Political Science & American Studies Double Major