Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to visit London. When I was younger, I was completely obsessed with the movie “What a Girl Wants” in which Amanda Bynes spontaneously gets on a plane and flies to London to find her father. The prestigious presence of royalty, breakfast delicacies of crumpets and tea, and of course, swoon-worthy British accents were all factors that had attracted me to this location from a young age. As a grew older, and I read classic novels such as Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Thomas Hardy’s “Far from the Madding Crowd”, my romanticized view of London was even further intensified. Unfortunately, I never thought I would have the time to study abroad during college; however, when I learned about a study abroad trip to London, I knew that it was meant to be! For months, I have been dreaming about and preparing for this once and a lifetime trip, and FINALLY by the end of the week I will be on a plane to London!
With only three days to go until the big trip, I find myself giddy with anticipation. Every night I am riddled with insomnia and cannot help but stare at the ceiling and think about all of the wonderful things I plan to do in London. I am beyond excited to take a river cruise on the Thames, to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and especially to explore the city with two of my roommates/best friends. Even though I have multiple midterms and papers due this week that I am trying to get through, thinking about London throughout the day is really getting me through it. Being the organized person that I am, I have already prepared a lot for this trip, especially in terms of packing. I currently have a checklist of every possible thing I can think of bringing to London, and just need to get a few more quick things before I leave.
Even though this is my first time going out of the country, I do not feel nervous about leaving the United States for a week. I do tend to be anxious about upcoming events in general, but I think my overall excitement about the trip overrides any anxious feelings. I’m sure that when my parents drop me off at the airport, I will feel a tinge of sadness, but I know that will quickly pass when I’m flying on British Airways and am surrounded by my friends and classmates who will share my excitement. The only thing that I have slight qualms about when arriving at London is being able to navigate around the city, use the tube, and exchange money correctly, but even so, I have done so much research that I think things will turn out okay. I am not expecting my experience to be perfect in London and I am sure that I will make mistakes, but I want to possess an optimistic outlook for the week because this is an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Updates about the trip coming soon!