Student Bloggers

Currently Studying at: St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford, England

Homeschool: Northwestern University

Currently, I’m 34,001 ft above sea level, hurtling at a speed of 473 mph towards London on the flight that marks the beginning of my study abroad adventure. We’re flying over Greenland right now, and I woke up from my nap to find the night sky alive and crystal clear outside the plane window. I don’t know if you guys know anything about constellations, but I think that the stars must look closer from up here above the clouds. Orion’s telltale hourglass has swelled to fill almost the entire window frame, the plane seemingly zooming right alongside its brilliant Belt.

Far below me, I imagine what Greenland’s rugged terrain resembles at this time of year. In early October, the arctic circle is probably already covered in swirling snowstorms and ice caps. It seems crazy to me how humans can travel so far and wide nowadays, speeding in planes through a constant world of never-ending sky, all the while oblivious to what lies directly below until it’s finally time to dip back below the clouds again into a completely different place from which they started.

For those of you who may want to know a little more, I’ll give a quick introduction of myself. My name is Allison. I’m twenty years old, and I love travel, fashion, reading fantasy novels, and my family above all else. I’m studying politics at Oxford, my absolute dream study abroad institution, for their Michaelmas term this fall. I don’t think I’ll really believe I’m going until I’m there, and maybe not even then. Other than sitting in coffee houses and writing political theory papers all day (although that is right up my alley), I hope to do a little exploring while I’m abroad. Already on my schedule are: France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, and Morocco. If possible, I would love to fit in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Romania as well.

Everyone chooses to study abroad for different reasons, but for me, it was mostly to experience an adventure. The prospect of traveling halfway across the globe to live and study among new people and to immerse myself within a new culture just seems so full of potential for creating unforgettably savory moments. A few hours ago, I was feeling quite small and sad as my family waved me off at the airport in Seattle. Now, only a couple of hours away from London, the excitement is starting to grow. Which countries will I manage to visit? Who are the new friends I will make, and what is the most outrageous thing we’ll get up to together? How will my studies at Oxford help me to grow into myself and discover ways to learn that I never knew? All that remains to be seen, but I’m determined to make the most of this truly, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The sky has rapidly lightened while I’ve been writing, and the flight attendants are now coming around with breakfast croissants and greek yogurt, signaling our impending arrival. I don’t know what awaits me when I dip back below the clouds again, but I would love to have you guys along for whatever it is I get up to. Hope to see you guys over on the next post!