How Studying Abroad in London Changed My Life

By: Leela Prodhan

When I learned in high school that studying abroad was a thing college students could do, I was immediately hooked. To me, studying abroad seemed like the perfect way to explore so many new places, observe new cultures, and an ideal opportunity to experience what it would be like to live in a foreign country. Sadly, as my study abroad experience is ending, I have been reflecting on my time abroad. I can confidently say my study abroad experience with CIEE has been amazing, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else! 

When thinking about my goals for my study abroad semester, one of them was forcing myself out of my comfort zone by branching out and meeting people outside of my home university. Ultimately, that’s how I chose London, England, as my home for my study abroad experience. At my home university, specifically, London is not a very popular place for students to study abroad, so I knew my chances of branching out and meeting new people were ultimately higher. In addition, I have always wanted to visit London and thought this would be the perfect way to see everything the city offers and take this wish of visiting to the next level by living here for three months. Through my CIEE program with Queen Mary University of London, I have met many amazing people, many of whom I would now consider lifelong friends. Looking back on my time abroad, I have no regrets about how I did things and am proud of myself for going abroad through a program where I knew no one because if I had not done that, I wouldn’t have made the connections and friendships I have today. 

Not only am I grateful for all the new friends I have made, but I am also grateful that I could see so many new places through my time abroad. My favorite places I visited were Switzerland, Italy, and Iceland. The views in Switzerland were unlike any I have seen before. The mountains were truly magical, and I saw the best sunset I have ever seen in my life, genuinely. Iceland has always been a dream place for me to visit. So, being able to go during my study abroad semester was a dream come true. The cherry on top was seeing the northern lights on my last day there, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Italy has also been a dream place of mine, and it was everything I had expected. The food was incredible, and from seeing the Colosseum in Rome to experiencing other aspects of Italian culture and history, it was terrific. For those hesitant about studying abroad, please take this as your sign to take that leap of faith and do it! I promise it will be the best experience and you won’t regret it. 

EXPLORE LONDON