A typical day in London

By MaryAnn Plourde
Cardinal Staff

Taking classes in London is definitely an opportunity I am glad I decided to take. For those students who are interested in studying abroad in London, I might be able to help with describing the experience from my own point of view:

The morning starts off around 8 a.m. with a quick shower and breakfast. Sharing a flat with four other girls is easier than I thought; even though we all live in a three-bedroom and one bath-room flat, we don’t usually run into each other.
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It is 8:45 a.m., and I’m off to my first class that starts at 9 a.m.; it is a short five-minute walk to the nearby college which has an immensely diverse student body. I have never been surrounded by so many different ethnicities. Class usually lasts between one to two hours. The class schedule consists of one morning class and one afternoon class that meet once a week. The homework is meager but important. Thursdays and Fridays are free days for me, with the occasional required fieldtrip on a coach bus to places like Bath, Cambridge and Blenheim Palace. Having four-day weekends leaves plenty of time to sightsee and travel. People are leaving all the time to go to places like Italy, Ireland, Germany, Amsterdam and France for the weekend.

In the middle of November, all 19 students who are studying abroad have the opportunity to go to Scotland for four days with transportation and one night in a hostel paid for by our activity fee. There is no set schedule, and everyone is free to roam as they see fit.

Getting used to the way of life here was interesting. Buying food and cooking for myself was a great learning experience in itself. The flat does have a kitchen with a stove and fridge and if you’re lucky a microwave and toaster. Food is bought with the weekly stipend (allowance) of £50. Currently the exchange rate is over $2 to £1. Everything here is the same monetary amount just with a pound sign instead of the dollar.

Classes last for three months and some choose to travel afterwards for a couple weeks. I am extremely happy to have had the opportunity to study abroad. Although I am incredibly homesick, this has opened up my mind in a way that would not be possible otherwise. Living in London as a student is definitely an unforgettable experience.