My skills, hard and soft, have significantly grown and changed during my time abroad in London. In just these past four weeks, my perspectives on life and self have become widely diversified. So much so, that my roommate and I often enthuse about the amount of self-growth this opportunity has afforded us.

In terms of soft skills, I have found my levels of communication to not only increase, but increase effectively. While being abroad, I have realized that the need for honest and frequent communication is key to my success. I have learned how to converse with my internship advisor, professors, roommate, and family while abroad, about my direct needs. This open line of communication creates a more comfortable and sincere environment. Specifically, my internship advisor and I have been able to work more effectively when writing e-magazine posts. When I am confused about his expectations or goals with a given task, I simply ask if he can give me examples. I will then look at the provided blueprint and other related company publishings to model my assignment on.

Secondly, I have found that communicating the challenges I face abroad to my professors and family has been vital. Letting other people know what you are going through relieves the weight of carrying it alone, making you feel less isolated. In a city nearly 4,000 miles away from home, feelings of isolation are intermittent. However, I have found that communicating this to others mitigates the feeling. Their advice, words of encouragement, and relation to it, are empowering. Finding the equilibrium, where independence and support coexist, is the utmost rewarding and transformational part of being abroad.

Finally, I have noticed my time management skills develop to a tee, here in London. While working an internship (20 hours a week), exploring and adjusting to a new city, and attending classes three times a week, managing my time efficiently is paramount. I have created a loose schedule for myself, that allows for productivity and leeway for enjoyment and relaxation. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and the second half of Thursdays, I do internship work. On Wednesdays and Thursday mornings, I attend class. Outside of that schedule, I explore the city, pub with friends, and recharge by reading or being in nature. I’ve found it important to allow for flexibility and not stress too much about the specifics. For instance, the tube is not always on time, there are occasionally delays and stoppages. If that hinders my timeliness, I do not stress, because it is out of my control. Likely, I realize that there are always changes in the plans, whether it be with friends or class structures.

At my internship, I am usually tasked with writing WordPress blog posts. Thus, I have been taught and learned how to correctly format photos, article posts, and blogs for the Luxuriate Life E-Magazine. This includes resizing photos on software, choosing proper tags/categories, and more. I have also developed proficiency in PR writing. I typically use PR releases from various companies and other websites to compile an authentic yet original piece. These magazine topics range from Michelin star restaurants to London music festivals to Tokyo-inspired karaoke bars. So, I have learned to research and cross reference different sources when writing informative articles for the brand.

In all, the development of hard and soft skills have afforded me the confidence and opportunity to continue my education, live and travel abroad, and navigate the furthering of adulthood. Specifically, I feel that this program has honed my independence, my communication skills, and my marketing/journalism knowledge. Overall, I have learned adaptability; whereby my threshold for handling adversity has significantly increased. Thus, I could not identify more with the statement by the insightful poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes: “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”