An example of cultural confrontation that I have experienced during my time abroad in London is finding a quiet space to study by myself. At Rollins, I would go to the library or KWR after class to find a space to study where I knew it was quiet and I could get my work done. I knew I could always find somewhere on campus that I could be alone and do my work. However, in London, there are not many places that I have been able to find where it is quiet and I am alone doing my work. I get distracted very easily so it has been hard to focus on my work in the libraries I have gone to because there are always people talking or it is loud in general. Another frustration I have with finding a space to study is that it takes a while to get to the library from my school or apartment. I am not used to waiting 30 minutes to get somewhere to study because I am used to walking less than 5 minutes across campus to get to the library.
With that being said, I have learned to manage my time better when I am at the library in London because I know I will not be back as often so I have to get my work done efficiently. Along with this, I have also learned how to block out the noise of others while studying so I can focus and finish my work. I have learned that it is extremely important for me to plan out my weeks ahead of time when I know I have an assignment due so I can put aside time to go to the library for a couple of hours. This cultural confrontation of mine has been challenging to deal with but I am learning how to overcome it and manage my time better.