Over the past couple of weeks studying abroad in London, life at university has been very busy. In my time here, there has been so many great experiences that I have had just from living in the small town I do right outside of London.
Campus life here in Harrow has been great for me because it is something that I am not exactly used to when I attend school back in the States. I drive to school in Atlanta, but here I live so close that I can walk to anywhere I need to go. A car is not essential, and when I do need to go downtown, the closest tube stop is located right next to the halls of residence.
While abroad, there are so many activities, so many places that you want to see, and so many people that you want to meet, that finding time to do school work or job related activities can be a little difficult to handle. However, it is very important to manage your time so you do not forget about the things that are supporting you or are guiding you to your future career.
Even though life here has been fun, I have had to make time to simply go somewhere and do work. In order to concentrate on school work and school work, I need to find a place where I can clear my head and think. Now these places change all the time. It is really exciting when you find these areas of relaxation where you can just get comfortable and not be bothered.
Luckily, here at my university, there is a wonderful library where I can go and study. The library is so modern, clean, and is very resourceful. There are two different floors to the library, each serve to me depending on the type of studying mood I am.
The second floor is where students can go to a moderately quiet study area but are free to talk, which has been great for group projects in my media class. The third floor is where I go and nobody is allowed to talk, which is an excellent place to go if you need to really concentrate and get work done immediately. There are also plenty of people around to help with computers and finding the right books you need.
Also, where all the classrooms and library are, is a huge forum where students can grab a cup of coffee or some food at the local Costa (UK coffee shop) and hang out in between classes.
Right in the middle between campus and the living halls is a huge green field that is an excellent place to hangout on a nice day. When the weather was a bit warmer, it was even nice to be able to just sit and talk with friends at night (wrapped up in blankets and warm jackets). It has also been a really fun area to go and play a game of football (soccer) with all your friends.
Living on campus has been a great experience for me because it has led me to meet so many different people. My current flat is mostly fellow Americans and an English boy. We all have friends from other flats, which has led me to meet even more people. I have made so many interesting people, all of whom I have become very close to.
Laura Koch is the Fall 2013 CEA MOJO in London, England. She is currently a sophomore at Georgia State University.