After three months of studying and interning abroad, I am now back in the US and still feel so grateful for the opportunity that I had in London. Interning abroad showed me what a professional working environment of a marketing agency looked like. Studying abroad brought me so many friends and connections as well as knowledge of London's culture and that of European countries in general.
Caption: My friend and I in Cambridge.
My Internship Experience
I interned at Bulbshare as a Marketing and Social Media intern, and I made many connections with people in the same industry as well as had a chance to work with renowned clients such as LEGO, Public Health England, Nestle, etc. My department had a diverse crew of employees, and everyone was extremely friendly, nice, and supportive in helping me grow throughout the entire internship.
My advice for those who are going to intern abroad: be proactive to reach out for help and ask questions. No one knows what you want to learn if you don't let them know. I got to learn new things because I actively reached out to my managers and asked them questions.
Caption: My department sent me a cake at the end of my internship.
My Study Abroad Experience
Studying abroad in London in the Fall, especially around Christmas time was such a blessing as the Christmas-y spirit in London is unique and wonderful like nowhere else. As a person whose favorite time of the year is Christmas, I could not get enough of London's Christmas decorations. Making sure to watch all the famous Christmas movies filmed in London while you are in London! The feeling would be immaculate, believe me!!
Below are pictures I took on my last day in London:
Caption: This is the famous Bond Street"”a must-visit place around Christmas time.
Caption: Cartier's Christmas decorations in London.
Caption: This is Tiffany & Co's Christmas decoration on Bond Street.
Caption: Bond Street "”this is the reason why you need to study abroad in London at least once in your life!
Caption: My friend group and I decided to end our night in SOHO. It was our last night in SOHO!
Apart from the iconic Christmas decorations, some of my classes in London were really helpful and fun. I had an opportunity to work on various Marketing topics that I liked with my group in my Marketing class. We had a wonderful time learning from each other, as well as improving our presentation skills from our professor's feedback. In every class, we had a chance to research and present our topics and ideas on high-end clients that we chose. We also had a chance to listen to many guest speakers in the industry and went on field trips to museums.
My advice is to try your best and always remember that your hard work is always acknowledged by your professors. At the end of the term, I received two nominations from my professors, which made me so touched as I knew that my hard work was recognized!
Caption: Certificates and gift cards from CEA CAPA.
The other piece of advice is"¦your friends are everywhere! I made some great friends in my marketing class and had some great memories with them throughout the entire term! I also had such great conversations with friends from a different program managed by CEA CAPA at CEA CAPA's dinner party or on field trips.
Caption: Students from the CEA CAPA London fall 2021 program.