As I sit in a local cafe, pretending not to be procrastinating on my midterm studies, I am reflecting on my London day-to-day lifestyle. I’m getting used to academic shifts like having class once a week instead of 2 or three times. That has been a hurdle I didn’t expect to jump. It is like I am getting ready for graduate school but in the best way. Being in a class for 2.5 hours and then going out and implementing what we have learned throughout the week has been exhilarating. I have noticed a pretty large shift in how I view my work. There is less regurgitating what my professors or peers have said in class and more free-thinking on my own.
Additionally, I have become increasingly more grateful for the support systems I have built for myself. Jumping into a new program for a short semester can seem daunting as you embark on a completely new country and a new group of people. But all my relationships here and at Hope have shown me how important it is to surround yourself with people who have similar interests and goals.
My group in London is constantly going on adventures to charity shops, markets, and tourist destinations. We explore new restaurants and parks and movie premiers. They hype me up when I want to buy stupid souvenirs because I can’t stop laughing about them. They even let me stare at a painting in the National Gallery for 10 solid minutes because I am mesmerized.
So, while we are all staying up till the wee hours of the morning cramming in midterm essays before the deadline, I cannot help but smile through the stress. My friends have my back and we are at least all going through this together. And, as a dear friend of mine back at Hope sarcastically told me, “good to know exams suck everywhere.”
