Since arriving in London almost a month ago, I feel like I have adjusted wonderfully to city life and British culture. To be transparent, I do not think I have faced many cultural confrontations while here. Some of the aspects of London that friends had warned me about, like navigating ‘the tube’, have been easy for me to adjust to. Growing up outside of Washington D.C and using the Metro system has definitely helped me find my way around the city. In some instances, I even feel like I am back home in D.C. While I feel like I have adjusted well to the city lifestyle, being a student here is a big change.
One of the main cultural confrontations I have faced at Queen Mary is adjusting to its academic structure and style of learning. The U.K. university system largely revolves around individualized study and it is critical that you are staying up-to-date on coursework. Living in a city as vibrant and lively as London, it can be tempting to go out with friends and explore the city instead of doing homework. However, when your entire grade is based off of one or two final assignments, it leaves no time for the end of the semester to cram everything in. I believe that this semester will be a challenge for my time management skills and ability to maintain a strong work/life balance. While it is important to maintain my gpa and achieve ‘high marks’, it is nearly as important to experience the U.K. and all it has to offer. By dedicating time for both independent study and fun excursions, I will be able to confront this cultural confrontation. Dedicating proper time in both aspects will also help me make the most out of my study abroad experience.
Despite this confrontation, I am greatly enjoying my time in London! The weather here is much nicer than I had anticipated. There have been lots of sunny days and seeing the leaves change colors for fall is beautiful. It has been an amazing experience thus far, and I am excited for what the next two months have in store!