7 Things I Learned about Life from Studying Abroad in London
And I’ll tell anyone who will listen that studying abroad will change your life.
I had always talked about going to London. At first, I wanted to attend college there. Then, when that didn’t pan out, I got the chance to study abroad there for my first semester of college. So, I took it.
One week after I turned 18, I got on a plane to spend 4 months in the City of Dreams.
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”
Here is what I learned:
- Walk everywhere.
Yes, taking public or private transportation will get you to your destination faster but you miss out on the charm of the city. If I didn’t miss the bus and decide to walk home, I would never have discovered my favorite coffee shop which I then proceeded to become a regular at. Only through walking the streets of the city will you find a fantastic hole in the wall restaurants that don’t advertise themselves on Yelp and hidden gardens. I now make an effort to walk whenever I can, not only because I like the fresh air but also for the hidden surprises, I didn’t know was coming my way.
2. There is always more to do.
Between visiting museums, walking through Hyde Park, eating at Covent Garden, exploring the nightlife, and attending class, I had more things to do than I had time. In the first couple of weeks, I made it my mission to hit all of the must-see tourist attractions. This was so that I could spend the rest of my time becoming a local to truly call this place home. I tried to visit a new place or did a new thing every week, and my commitment to do that was the most enriching experience of my life. But, I still have a list of places I want to go and things I haven’t done before. Now that I’m back in the States, this change in mindset that you can call a place home and still have more to explore has changed my relationship with my city.
3. Take advantage of the places around you.
London is just a couple hours by plane or train from some of the most amazing cities in the world like Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and the list can go on and on and on. In an effort not to break my wallet, I flew on cheap flights (Wowair, Ryanair, Easyjet) and stayed at youth hostels. I even bought an overnight round trip bus ticket to Paris for 40 GBP. It may not be the most glamorous experience, but I got to explore Europe and there is no price tag on that. Being home, I’ve translated those cheap flights to cheap bus rides to explore American cities I’ve never been to like Philadelphia and Boston.
4. Engage with the arts.
During my four months in London, I became a minor patron of the arts. I went to the National Gallery more times than I have fingers, went to a different Museum every Wednesday for class, saw my first Broadway show Wicked, attended a concert, and got reacquainted with spoken word poetry. It was during this time that I realized that while life will constantly be moving at 100 miles per hour, I can control when I want to slow down. Sometimes you have no choice but to move at the pace of life but it’s important to take moments for yourself to enjoy the things that you do and recenter yourself. Art, any type of art, has an uncanny ability to pull you out of reality if only just for a moment.
5. Be intentional.
While I was on my way to buy bread at the local market, I stopped and realized that there is a bakery next door. Then, I asked myself, “Why am I buying bread at a chain grocery store when I can buy superior quality bread at the same price from a place the specialized in bread?” From that moment on, I bought all of my bread at the bakery. I think this principle is true of life as well as bread. When you become intentional about the things you do, you can see a dramatic improvement in your life.
6. Do it by yourself.
I am a law junkie who is primarily friends with people who are not law junkies. When it came time to visit the Royal Courts of Justice, I couldn’t find anyone else to go with me for many different reasons. But I was not going to let the fact that I would have to go alone deter me from going. That day, I put on my heels and sat at the back of an open court and the experience was goose-bump inducing for me in the best way. Often times, when you do things alone it is scary because it means on some part you are different. But being different isn’t bad, it just means you have stories nobody else can tell.
7. You don’t have to love everything.
London is great but London is not perfect. The best example of this is the English Breakfast.
This quintessential English dish contains fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, toast, and black pudding. For the record, this is my favorite English dish, but I hate black pudding. Similarly, I love traveling but also believe that the process of getting to the airport with luggage on public transportation is at best a necessary evil. But I don’t not order an English breakfast because I choose not to eat the black pudding, nor do I choose not to go on a trip because I don’t like the transportation option to the airport. Life isn’t meant to be without struggle or things you don’t agree with, but finding meaning and being happy means you choose to focus on the things that you do find joy in.
Those 4 months in London changed my life and my mindset. I am now a happier and more whole person than I was before. It is my hope that through sharing these lessons, you can enjoy a better and more meaningful life as well.
