And just like that, I have been in London for one whole month!
Here are four things that I have learned over the past four weeks abroad.
- Appreciate time. On one hand, I feel as though it was just yesterday that I was sitting at my gate at Newark Airport, anticipating my journey. On the other hand, London feels like the home that I have lived in forever. The crazy thing about time is that you don’t realize how fast it is going by until you are reflecting on it. I would not suggest counting your days abroad, although you may want to. Just live in the moment, and make every single day count! Even on the rainy days, I always try to go out and accomplish one thing, even if it just trying a new cafe or walking through a different part of the city.
- Keep a journal. I have never been one to keep a personal journal, although I love to write. However, after being abroad for a few days, I decided that I wanted to keep track of all of my experiences. Keeping a travel journal is a great way to track your abroad journey, and can be a great souvenir for when you get back to the States! I try my best to write down all of my big adventures, and all of my small ones. I’m sure one day I will read my study abroad journal and laugh at all of the amazing memories I made here.
- Get to know your city. When you are abroad, traveling to surrounding countries is a very exciting opportunity that you may have! Although you should take advantage of this, I think it is very important to take time and explore your “home” city or country. In my experience, London is a very large city, with so many parts to explore! I have made sure to build several weekends into my schedule dedicated solely to London. Even though there are so many amazing places to adventure to, make sure not to miss what is right within your reach!
- Engage the locals. You can learn a lot about a city from the people that live there! Locals usually know the best places to see, shop and eat, all while avoiding the mass crowds. Meeting locals is another way to immerse yourself in the culture, and take full advantage of your study abroad experience.
I’m sure there will be many more things to learn in my upcoming months abroad!
