Student Bloggers
Hello England, Goodbye California
Date
October 2, 2018
An effervescent buzz fills the air, and it is not coming from the hotel room’s blaring AC unit. There is a dim blue light coming from the digital clock on the bedside table, as it reads 10:30 pm. Although the mattress is moderately comfortable, and I am laden with a fluffy white duvet, sleep does not come to me. The buzz that permeates the room comes from within me. It is a mixture of excitement, new beginnings, and a little bit of pure terror. Unfortunately, I am a notorious over-thinker and anxiety usually lurks over me like a constant shadow. So naturally, on the night before the departure of my biggest adventure yet, my brain just won’t let me rest. Tomorrow is the day that I leave for London, England to study abroad for three months.
California is where I call home, and I haven’t ventured far from it. I have never traveled out of the country, so residing elsewhere for my fall semester seems both exhilarating and intimidating. I can recall a period of my childhood where I was utterly fascinated by the idea of the United Kingdom. Adorned on my queen bed used to be a pillow illustrating Big Ben and other beautiful sights of the sovereign country. I used to treat that pillow like my very own shooting star, wishing every night that one day I would travel there. I was never really sure what made me yearn for the UK all these years, maybe it was my undying adoration for The Beatles and Harry Potter. Either way, when I was presented with the opportunity to study in London for three months I knew I had to take it.
From this opportunity, I expect personal growth in a way I have never experienced it before. I hope to meet new people, think in new ways, and do things differently. With those desires in my thoughts, I try to quiet that buzz within me and sleep knowing that these next few months will be a time I never forget.