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November 5, 2024, Filed Under: Global Ambassador

Learning to Find Comfort in the Cold

Antique stalls at Covent Garden

I’ve only been in London for a month, but every Londoner I’ve met seems equally exasperated by the near-constant cloud cover. I’ve made small talk with my professors and the man selling fresh scones, giggling as they lament the shifting seasons.

Winter is coming to London, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. No drizzle could dampen the enthusiasm I feel about escaping the Texas heat.  

During my first week in London, I alternated between doggedly exploring the city and frantically preparing for the start of term. At a National Gallery exhibition, I learned that since over 40 percent of public land in London is made up of green space, the city technically qualifies as a forest.

This makes it the perfect place to watch summer give way to autumn. Growing up in Houston, I’ve never experienced a proper fall. I am mesmerized by the city’s shifting colors, astonishing shades of red-orange-yellow appearing at every corner. 

Oxford Street, decorated with stars for the holidays

Before arriving at University College London, London’s purportedly dreary disposition was one of my primary concerns. I seriously doubted my ability to survive three months of perpetual rain.

In reality, England’s weather is a lot milder than I expected. Showers rarely last more than a few minutes, and the chill is a welcome change.  

Sunflowers purchased at Columbia Road Flower Market

Most of my other fears have been similarly subverted. At first, I dreaded being too tired to wander after long class days, but I find myself infinitely energized by my surroundings. And despite worrying that cultural differences might keep me from making friends, my British flatmates have been a crucial part of adjusting to life abroad. All my worst-case scenarios have been steadily disproven, and I’ve settled into a pleasant routine. 

Buildings near Spitalfields Market

Most weekdays, I start the morning off by attending lectures and use my afternoons to run errands or catch up on readings. So far, my favorite course is the one-term psychology research project I joined as a last-minute impulse. UCL’s research reflects the diversity of its location, and my project aims to promote positive mental health for university students in Spanish and Latin American Studies.  

Brick Lane, a shopping road lined with vibrant street art

Education abroad extends far beyond the classroom, however. My weekends are spent on grand expeditions across the city. Some days, I venture out with a purpose, checking monuments and museums off the massive list I compiled upon moving here. Other times, I let myself wander, strolling cobbled streets until I reach a particularly bustling market or vibrant park. But my favorite source of knowledge thus far has been the people I’ve met.  

View of the London skyline from Greenwich Park

I eat lunch and dinner every day in the communal kitchen of my dorm, which I share with a handful of flatmates. We became fast friends, especially once I launched my “British Sweet of the Week” initiative. Every Monday, I purchase a delicious local treat that my flatmates educate me on.

Communal living, initially a source of dread, has become a fountain of joy.  In many ways, I anticipated that my time abroad would be an exercise in isolation. I pictured myself learning and growing almost exclusively as an individual. In a city of nearly nine million people, however, aloneness is an impossibility.

Even now, tucked away in my room after dark, I can hear the faint sounds of London humming just outside my window. I’m hyperaware that every person I meet is living a life as rich and complex as my own. The thought makes me want to slow down, to strike up conversations and forge connections, however brief.  

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London

I return once again to the weather – the perpetual focal point of my small talk with strangers. Soon, winter will come to London, settling in just like I did. The trees will lose their scarlet leaves, and I’ll take up ducking into coffee shops to escape the cold.

I could worry about the finer points of surviving an unfamiliar climate, but a month in London has already changed my perspective. Studying abroad makes the whole world feel like it’s brimming with possibility.

Every inconvenience becomes a generous learning opportunity – instead of being overwhelmed, I take note of London’s shifting landscape. I marvel at star-lined streets and glittering skylines and prepare to find comfort in the cold.  

This post was contributed by Essie Diaz Perdomo, a Global Ambassador for Fall 2024. Essie is a junior studying abroad in London, England.  

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