It has been almost 2 weeks since I have come back from my time abroad in London and being back has given me an opportunity to reflect on my time there. This experience has truly allowed me to grow professionally, academically, and personally. Since being back, I have really been able to see how this program has impacted me and how I have grown. Although it did take some time in the beginning to adjust to this brand new city, it started to feel familiar very quickly. After going to work for the first week and getting adjusted to my responsibilities and coworkers there and also learning how to use the underground transportation system, London felt a little easier to navigate through.
Going to work and class in London taught me a lot about the culture in the workplace and in the classroom and I felt myself getting further integrated into it as the weeks went on. This was not only personal development for me, but professional as well. I was able to learn about adjusting to new and unfamiliar situations and how to integrate myself as seamlessly as possible into these situations, which is a crucial professional skill to have for the workplace. Taking a class during my time abroad also gave me an insight into what college looks like in the UK. I was able to see the differences in the way the material was taught there versus here as well as how the grading system functions there. It did take some time to get used to these differences, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this class and was able to get a firm grasp on the material taught.
Now that it is almost time to go back to Pittsburgh and for classes to start again, I am excited to bring the lessons that I have learned and the experiences that I have had back with me and use them to grow even more. I have been able to learn so many new things and develop unique perspectives on the business world as well as form new ideas that I am hoping to be able to bring forward with me in my academic, professional, and personal journeys. My time during this program flew by and I wish that I was able to stay in London longer, but I can confidently say that studying abroad was one of the best decisions that I could have made for myself.