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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
