One of my favorite aspects about doing a semester abroad is the rise in independence and confidence within myself I have had. In early February, I had an experience that helped me meet new friends and gain new perspectives.

I am a huge fan of live music, and was really excited to see that one of my favorite artists, Halsey, was coming to London in February. However, I knew this would be something that I would have to do by myself. I was very nervous to explore a new neighborhood and attend the concert by myself.

However, this became one of my favorite memories from the trip. I started by heading to the O2 Academy Brixton, which was about an hour away from my apartment. This is an area I would most likely not have explored if I had not chosen to go to the concert. However, I really enjoyed getting to explore the different shops and food they had to offer! I spent time wondering through the different shops and picking somewhere to get lunch.

After I finished eating, I headed over to the venue. I got there early to make sure I had a good view, but was feeling pretty nervous. There were a few hours before the show, and I didn’t know anyone. However, I decided to chat with two girls around me. This actually led to me being invited into their group of people who were able to be let in early due to having a certain brand of cellular service, known as O2 Priority. As we kept waiting, more people joined in our conversation. This led to a group of about ten of us entering the concert together, as friends!

By the end of the concert, I was in a group chat with all of the lovely people I had met at the concert. I had so much fun seeing a performer I have loved for years, but got to meet many locals and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Going into this experience, I expected to just enjoy the music by myself but I got to gain a global perspective. However, I got to meet new friends and learn more about London from students at other schools within the area. There were also girls from Ireland, Greece, and Malaysia in our group. Everyone was so interested in learning about each other, and it was a really fun conversation to be apart of.

Since then, I have felt more confident to do things alone. Just saying “Hi!” is a great way to meet new people, and I have realized that you never know where a short conversation will take you.