Dear Pre-London Lindsey,

“Oh, the places you’’ll go” (Dr. Suess) seemed like the most fitting quote to start my letter with. Oh, if only you could see yourself now, all the things you’ve accomplished abroad, and of course all the places you’ll go.

I know you’re anxious right now, unsure if you made the right decision to pick London, unsure what to expect, with so many thoughts running through your mind, but I promise it all turns out alright. I wish I could go back and tell you that everything will be okay and even better than you could have imagined. You’ll make so many new friends, from other schools and from Pitt, you’ll get to explore London and so much more, and most importantly you’ll get to grow and learn so much about yourself.

I know you’re worried about making new friends and living with 5 random girls in a flat in London, but I promise you the people you’ll meet will become friends for a lifetime. While it did feel like summer camp or freshman year of college all over again in the beginning, you’ll soon become friends with so many unique people from all different backgrounds, and you’ll soon be unable to imagine a life without them in it every day. You’ll create relationships with your roommates, classmates, professors, and more, that’ll shape the person you come back to the states as.

I know you’re worried that London wasn’t the right place to go for a semester and maybe you should’ve picked a different city, but rest assured London was exactly what you needed (and don’t worry you do end up going to Italy while you’re abroad)! I know you’re in the states thinking about all the experiences you could have somewhere else, but I promise you London is the place for you, the people, the culture, the atmosphere it is all exactly what you needed for a semester abroad. London seems like a big scary city, but after some time it quickly feels like home. While in London, you’ll get to travel around England and even to other countries, you’ll immerse yourself in the local spots, but also hit all the tourist shops. And soon you’ll be wishing you had another 4 months here.

But, from this experience you’ll most importantly see yourself grow. From the ball of stress, you were saying goodbye to your parents at the airport in the beginning of January, to the confident and happy London girl you are now, about to see your parents at the airport again, you have changed so much and are ready for any challenges that come your way next.

While I am so sad to see my time in London come to an end, I am also ready to come back to Pitt. I am excited for the opportunity to share my experiences abroad and use the skills I’ve developed. Enjoy your last days in London with the people, food, and culture!  

With love,

Post- London Lindsey