Hey everyone! I’m Reid, a junior in the business school studying finance and business analytics, with a CS minor and a global health certificate. I’ve been interested in this London program for a while, so it was a no brainer to accept after application results came back in the Fall. London is the finance hub of Europe, but also hosts a large majority of the tech and startup communities, all fields that I’m deeply interested in. There are also a multitude of airports within an hour train ride of my housing, allowing me to quickly get around Europe and beyond.
My main goals for the program are to get connected with professionals in London while taking my time to explore the continent. Our university here has strong connections to many companies and organizations, and frequently have events to help connect students with the community. I also look to take advantage of the easy travel, as being able to spend weekends in another country is an awesome privilege that I don’t have back in Pittsburgh.
London is obviously a bigger city than Pittsburgh, but the rainy and cloudy days make it feel more similar than you would expect! There are noticeably different neighborhoods across London, as well as a diverse population (both features I admire about Pittsburgh). Our campus is quite different as the university here is an order of magnitude smaller than Pitt. However I’m enjoying seeing the same friendly faces throughout the week, and for an abroad program it feels perfect to get connected to the university without feeling overwhelmed! Classes are small and professors bring fascinating life experiences, making the learning experience super enjoyable.
I’ve been adapting well to my living situation, which I think is partially due to English being a first language here and the fact that I have my own apartment! My studio doesn’t feel isolating yet provides a space to decompress and relax on my own. There are many students across a number of programs in my building, and being able to walk into a common room and interact someone with a completely different life story is an experience I won’t forget when I leave.
Time feels like it is flying by already! London is a massive city and I could never see all of it within the 4 months of this program. It’s been fun to keep tabs on my friends at Pitt, but I did get a bit of FOMO seeing everyone sledding on their snow days. Every day is a new experience here, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store tomorrow- with that, goodnight!
