Before I headed for my year abroad at LSE, I was told this would be the best year of my life. That this would change my life and that I was going to have so much fun. A year ago, when I was being told these things, I dismissed them as mere exaggerations. Today I take all the dismissal back. All of it is true. Deciding to take up this year abroad is one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I am very glad I went forward with it.
As someone from India, studying ‘abroad’ was not really just ‘abroad’ for me since I’m already in a new country when I’m studying at Northeastern itself. Nonetheless, this did feel completely like an abroad experience. There were moments of nostalgia, cultural shocks and lifestyle differences that completed the ‘abroad’ experience for me. I learnt it’s not just about going to another country, but also integrating when you have limited time on your hands. You’re a student of the university that you’re studying abroad in, but not really. You’re going to have to leave the friends you make at the end of the year, and you can’t get used to something too much. It’s a whole new mindset where your goal is not to belong but to make the most out of this country that you’re probably never going to live in again. (Or maybe you like it so much that you end up moving here at some point!). My point is that it is no surprise that all of this passes by in a flash but you’re looking at life so differently in this flash that it has an ever-lasting impact on your mindset.
One of the most obvious ways in which this year has changed me is that it has made me much more aware than I was a year ago – aware of different worldviews, opinions, cultures and ideologies. I enjoyed interacting with people entirely different from the kind that I was used to interacting with, and I am going to really miss the kind of people that I have met here. A very strong impact was due to the fact that LSE is so heavily political that it’s almost impossible to escape politics while you are here. I was glad of it, because I ended up coming out of this year much more politically aligned and awakened, and that is something that I think holds much significance for me currently.
This year has spoilt me for want of travel. I found myself craving for cheap tickets to any place I could set foot on whenever I got the slightest of time on my hands. I have enjoyed visiting a total of six countries in addition to going to almost everywhere in the UK. The concept of travel has completely changed in my head, largely due to the fact that I had access to such cheap means of doing so. However, I have also changed as a traveler. I’ve become less keen on tourist spots and more interested in searching for authentic food places and skyline views.
I have fallen in love with skylines over this year. My favorite part about London is that it has tens of places offering you such beautiful views of the city that has such a wonderful skyline. It began as an interest but has grown into an obsession, and I now make it a point to see the skyline of every city I go to, even if it means compromising much more obvious places. This has led to the discovery that almost every major city in Europe has a viewing tower offering views of the city. I believe that one of the best ways to get a feel of a city is to see its skyline, especially at sunrise or sunset. I have become somewhat of a self-proclaimed skyline connoisseur.
Nonetheless, my biggest takeaway from this study abroad does not come from the travel, the people or even the city. It comes from the university. As an economics major, this year was phenomenal for me. Given that LSE specializes in economics, of course I was expecting to get a lot out of the education here. However, I highly underestimated how much I’d learn. I got a chance to hear from so many economists that I admire, and learn about so many theories that I have been trying to fathom. It helps that everyone around you has the same interests as you, and so there’s so much learning that gets done just through a random conversation in the hallway. If you’re hoping to pursue an economics based career, this is a study abroad that should be a must on your checklist.
I have never met anyone who has not enjoyed a study abroad, and now I would gladly add myself to the long list of people whose study abroad programs have changed their life. I think it is a very valuable experience and everyone should consider it. However, one should also take into account the university, city and culture that the study abroad is based in, since I have found these things to have an enormous effect on my experience here, and I would probably not have enjoyed my time as much had things not been the way they were. It should therefore be a well thought out decision and one made and executed with a completely open mind looking to learn and absorb. It has also made me realize how much I love Northeastern and Boston, and so, as hard as it’s going to be to leave London, I am so excited to be back on campus and feel at home amongst all other Huskies!
