Hello! My name is Alison Beddall and I am a junior marketing student at the College of Business Administration. I am fascinated by all things media and culture, and how those things drive markets and consumer decisions. I also love interacting with said consumers and figuring out how building relationships will also impact marketing. I am specifically very interested in the sports side of these, from fan interaction and culture building, to the more lucrative side of marketing within the sports industry and how it actively changes and grows in new ways constantly. I would love to break into the sports world in my professional career in some capacity, specifically on the creative and fan side! I am currently studying in London, England at the Global Business Institute: London program. I chose this program and location because of the academic opportunities it provided for me in my schedule, as well as the cultural relevancy London holds in not only the marketing industry, but also in the entertainment and media industries. London is also just a place I’ve grown up dreaming about, from the history, to the architecture, and most of all, to the media I consumed growing up that has shaped me into the person I am today. In this experience, I ultimately just want to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone and prove to myself that I can do hard and scary things. It is easy to succumb to fear, but it is possible to do it scared and come out better on the other side of it. On a less personal scale, I also just want to absorb as many new perspectives as possible from both my classes and experiences out in the city. I want to excel in the classroom and fully immerse myself outside.
Here in London, I am living in a studio-style student accommodation in West London. I live by myself, but the building I am in houses dozens of other study-abroad and full-time students, so we all interact and live amongst each other, which is fun. I attend classes at Richmond American University located in Chiswick, which is about a 35ish minute bus/tube ride away from my flat. I am already in love with the city, and can’t wait to see all the different vibes it has to offer. I felt it immediately upon stepping outside that leaving would be one of the most heartbreaking experiences. The pace of life here is just so different. It feels like people here ‘work to live,’ rather than the more ‘live to work’ hustle mindset of the USA, which is an adjustment, but also very peaceful. It makes adulthood feel less serious in a way. The access to public transport is also a game changer. It is reliable and so easy to navigate… just absolutely brilliant. I thought it would be so complicated but it’s quite the opposite. Also, contrary to the propaganda I’ve been fed, the food is not as rubbish as I was made to think. Jacket potatoes are the best invention ever. I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and can’t wait to come out a different, but better person on the other side, tough I’m already mourning that day. Cheerio for now!
