As I sit here and write this, I can’t believe it is my second to last post of the semester. These two and a half months have flown by so fast, but have been some of the best memories of my life. I have grown in ways from this experience that I never thought I was going to. To my pre-abroad self, I never in a million years did I think I was going to be able to have this experience, meet so many people along the way, experience London with family, and some of my best friends. Look at how far we’ve gotten since August!
I am so proud of myself for growing professionally, but mainly just as a person. I have learned how beautiful other cultures in the world are, and really fell in love with traveling. I have become more driven in the work place, and really started to care about the company I am working for while in London. I have become more okay with experiencing things alone, really valuing the beauty in everything I do, and I have also loved to share moments with the people I love! Also, I have grown in confidence — from navigating through multiple foreign environments, to asserting myself professionally and personally. I have discovered a side of resilience to myself, and I have learned that adaptability is a strength I can rely on.
What I know now, which I wish I had realized earlier, is that stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t just a cliché—it’s transformative. I wish I could have told you how normal it is to feel nervous whether its going to get groceries, going on the tube, or going to class. Make sure to embrace every awkward or uncomfortable moment because those will become your greatest teachers. And to people reading this that are studying abroad next semester, go up to all the people in your program. Make new friends. You feel like a freshman all over again, but people want to make friends with you just as much as you do them!
The most surprising part of this experience has been the way cultural differences shape workplace dynamics. To be fair though, I wish I knew that people don’t talk on the tube, that you stand on the right and walk on the left of an escalator, and that people really do drink tea…all…the…time. Nevertheless, I was not expecting the hectic pace of business that I walked into, but I have come to appreciate that side of creativity that I get to see and now be a part of. From the projects I worked on to the relationships I built, my appreciation for the richness of cultural exchange has been the most important. Pre-departure Elle, you were excited yet uncertain about what lay ahead. Now, looking back, I can tell you that it was everything you hoped for and more—an experience that not only broadened your horizons but also strengthened the core of who you are. I’m so proud of us!!
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