Rituals and Britishness: Finding Happiness during Weekends of Time Alone

A question preoccupied my thoughts during my first month of study abroad in London is: How can I find happiness during my time alone? 

Last September marked my first experience living independently in an entirely new city, new country. Coping with homesickness while simultaneously adapting to a new class schedule, unpredictable cold weather and the complexities of transportation in a megacity is an uneasy task. At Arcadia London, first-year students have long weekends as we have an extra day off on Friday. For me, it made planning for weekends an essential part.

In the first month I found my weekends to be rather chaotic. My meal time became irregular, I got bored and lonely hanging around in the student apartment, I even felt a sense of anxiety about how best to explore the beautiful city. These things prompted me to consciously find new ways to cultivate happiness and purposefully spend time when my family and old friends being continents away.

I am certain many other students encountering similar issues upon first arrival, particularly for those that prefer enjoy spending time alone. Hence, my advice is to reframe this semester: view it as a self-guide journey, fueled by freedom and curiosity. This shift in perspective makes planning for weekend much more exciting.

Through my exploration of “Britishness” in London and in my photography class, I became fascinated by the national nostalgia for seaside towns. The retro, dream-core and surreal architectures of these costal towns sparked me to create my photography portfolio on this theme and motivated me to explore these towns in person. 

Driven by this passion for photography and coastal landscapes, I booked an open-return ticket to the Seven Sister Cliff in Eastbourne, just an hour and a half from London. Walking  along the grassy clifftops at Beachy Head, I felt an indescribable joy in solitary travel. Browsing through the spectacular photos of white cliffs, I decided to explore more Southern England seaside towns during my time in London.

This pursuit then became a cherished weekend ritual. I would plan a day-trip to a Southern coastal town, travel there over the weekend and gather photo materials for my portfolio. These trips typically lasted from 7:00 am in the morning until 7:00 pm when I return to my dorm. Exhausted but extremely joyful.

My camera and I traveled through Eastbourne, Hastings, Folkestone and Southend-On-Sea. These weekends offered me profoundly enjoyable periods of solitude in the UK. It made my life abroad much more exciting, established a rewarding routine and led me to discover a different type of happiness.

I can not express how grateful I am for this gorgeous study abroad time during my freshman year. It strengthened my resilience and independence in a way I could never have without this experience. My time in London widened my understanding of this world and its diversity, and marked my acculturation with the Britishness. If you are planning to do a semester abroad or are already on it, stay open-minded and accept all expected and unexpected things; they will eventually shape a better and unique experience for you.