Disclaimer: It’s going to be very hard to write this blog post without completely sounding like a ~wannabe travel blogger~. Proceed with caution.

Greetings from a very jetlagged girl, typing from her laptop with a facemask on (in an attempt to reverse the effects of a very dehydrating 8-hour flight) at an ungodly hour of the morning.

I had hoped to publish a few updates on my trip to London while I was actually there. This became next-to-impossible when I was hit with an intense course load and crazy levels of exhaustion — due to constant exploring and SO much walking.

While I could easily just tell you all of the things I did in London, you can find all of that on my social media. (You can find my links on the side menu!) So instead, I want to focus on the 10 ways I feel that studying abroad in London has made me a better person — and why you should totally do it too!

1. I mastered the concept of work hard, play hard.

There are two parts to studying abroad: studying and being abroad. (Duh.) Sure, the concept is simple — but it can quickly become overwhelming when your friends are going to a museum and you have to write a research paper that’s due tomorrow.

In order to maximize my sight-seeing of the city, I did all the touristy things (museums, bus tours, aimless walks around the city) towards the beginning of my trip. That way, I would be able to focus on just my course as it got closer to due dates and the final exam.

Now, I am left with absolutely no regret! Not only did I get a great mark in the module I took and learned a lot, I felt like I saw as much of London as I could possibly squeeze into 3 weeks.

2. I learned how to make the most of every day.

Each day, I woke up early and went to bed late. You know, to maximize the hours I had to spend in London. (I now realize that this may not have been the most healthy decision, but I don’t regret it.)

I also signed up for all the day trips and social programmes offered by both the AIFS program and the UCL summer school itself. This allowed me to see parts of the UK that I might not have thought to visit myself — and do things I wouldn’t have thought to do!

Plus, I took an absurd amount of pictures. Pictures of the buildings, every single meal I ate, even my outfits if they were cute enough. After all, did you really study abroad if you didn’t post about it 11 times on Instagram??? (Sorry, followers.)

3. I made a group of life-long friends from around the world.

When studying abroad, you are undoubtedly going to be surrounded by a bunch of other students in the same exact situation as you. Everyone is lost, came alone, and desperately wants to see the city with a group of friends. This is the perfect recipe for the creation of a bomb-af travel squad to hit up every time you want to explore.

4. I became resourceful, frugal, and more independent.

It’s easy to spend all your money on souvenirs and food when you’re in a new country for the first time. That’s why I had to develop an incredible amount of self control to make sure I didn’t go broke within the first week. Shockingly, I made the (quite stingy) meal stipend last almost the entire trip AND only went through half of my budget! That’s #growth.

Living in a city, it’s also important to know how to get around by yourself. Over the course of the 3 weeks I was there, taking the tube became second nature and I knew my way around my neighborhood. As a directionally-impaired, Google Maps-dependent girl, this was a great feeling.

5. I was exposed to British culture/cuisine and learned to adapt to their way of life.

Prior to studying abroad, I had never left the States. So, it was wonderful to experience everything that the United Kingdom had to offer. The food, the history, the night life, the ACCENTS — I will never forget any of it.

Plus, I’ve definitely adopted some of the British lingo. For example, the word “lift” is objectively better than “elevator,” sorry I don’t make the rules.

6. I learned how to stay active when limited to a dorm room.

For the first week in London, I pretty much gave up on any hope of exercising. Memberships for any gyms in the area were £80 or more — plus it seemed like there was no time!

Don’t get me wrong, you do SO much walking in London. Sometimes I hit 20,000 steps in one day. But as a girl who’s normally very active I felt the need to do more. So, I looked up workout videos on Youtube and made it work.

Here’s a helpful note to my future self: Youtube exists. Use it.

7. I began to love dressing up just for the fun of it.

London is one of the major fashion capitals in the world — and they show it. On my daily commute to class, I constantly compared my (mandatory) modest, drab hospital-appropriate outfit to those of seemingly every single working Londoner.

Now that I’m home and I don’t have to wear hospital clothes every day, I am making the most of it. I am wearing dresses, jumpsuits, bright prints, you name it. I love to dress up for me, myself, and I because it makes me feel confident and happy.

8. I learned how to live next-to-minimalistic.

When packing for a short trip abroad, you really have to minimize the number and size of items you bring. This taught me how to mix and match outfits with the same few articles of clothing — something I should apply to my wardrobe back home!

If you want to know how I packed so little as a girl with so much, check out my post about it here!

9. I learned the importance of sleep.

Like I said earlier, I didn’t sleep much while I was in London. While I don’t regret having the whole day to explore, it definitely took a toll on my daily energy levels. With all the walking and overstimulation of the city, I was constantly dragging.

Now I know that sleep should be prioritized, even when you have FOMO and would rather be pub crawling with your friends. *sigh*

10. I have a whole new appreciation for life at home.

Even though I loved every last moment of my study abroad trip in London, I will admit that I felt a bit homesick at times!

I missed my family, friends, and dogs. I missed the comfort of my own house and homecooked meals. I missed my shower’s water pressure, having a full closet of clothes, and access to my wide array of skin care products. Now that I am home, I won’t take any of it for granted.

That said, I can’t wait to go back to London! I have absolutely been bitten by the travel bug, so I have every intention of spontaneously buying a plane ticket and traveling just for the fun of it. I’ll update you guys when I make it happen.

Until next time, cheers! ESM