ABSTRACT
As I sit in the library swamped with work, I find myself wishing I were back in London where the library closed at midnight and “flat gathers” were a regular nightly occurrence. I can still remember my first day in London when my nerves were high and I had no idea what to expect. As I sit here now, I realize how much I have grown over these past few months and the huge differences that I see in myself. For one, I am way more independent than I ever was before. I still can’t believe that I planned entire trips, from getting to the airport to getting back to my host university, all by myself. Taking planes from place to place made me grow up and experience the responsibility of an adult. This experience was one of the only times where I had to make decisions for myself and did not have others’ influences. I honestly could do whatever I wanted and truly got to make decisions based on the things that I desired. The independence and confidence that I gained abroad speaks volumes, as I am able to do many things that I have never done before.
