This past week, I woke up at a ridiculously early hour, gulped down some coffee, grabbed my giant (under 50 pounds, thank goodness) suitcases, and jetted off to a land much older and mysterious to me than my own. Having never been to England or Europe at all, I have found myself with some entertaining and relatively confused thoughts these past few days. I have also been told many times while here that I am certainly not the only American to ever have studied abroad in England, and so I must not be alone in this thought process. These are my 15 thoughts that I'm sure everyone has while studying abroad in England. Cheers!
1. Honestly, I am tired as hell right now.
Even after a few days to adjust, you still seem to find yourself at the merciful hands of the dreaded jetlag. Avoiding it is seemingly impossible, but a week into your trip, you finally stop feeling like a character from your own personal sitcom, or from "The Walking Dead."
2. Oh my god...Oh right, that's normal.
This thought occurs right after the small heart attack you have when you see a car driving down the 'wrong' side of the road. Which still looks weird to me, tbh.
3. I think my blood is now made of tea.
You are not going to complain; having tea three to four times a day is fabulous. You also just want to put it out there that it probably runs through your veins now.
4. People on bikes are terrifying and I shall never step in front of one.
If you've never been to Europe before, please take note of this. They honestly stop for nothing, and no one. Proceed with caution.
5. I honestly think there is celery or cucumber in every kind of food.
You find that your mouth begins to taste vaguely of cucumber after every meal...hmm...
6. Having a British accent is, like, so cool.
You begin to feel inferior when even a four-year-old's voice is more enchanting to listen to than your own. Obviously if you were used to it, it wouldn't be as cool, but you can't help but wish you sounded a little more British, and a little less country-fried-American.
7. OMG, the waiter just asked for my ID. What do I do?
Oh, wait, you forgot that you are actually of age in this country, and it's 100% legal for you to order that glass of wine with dinner. Win.
8. How is there a pub in this school?
For some of us, this is common back home, but for many it is not. You find that being able to go to the pub to do homework in sweats is oddly appealing and productive (not that I would ever do that...).
9. Ok, some ice in my water would be really nice right about now.
There never seems to be ice in the water. Ever. You will never take it for granted again.
10. Mmm...Pimms...
You probably think about Pimms all the time. You may even inquire if they make it in the States anywhere. It's that good.
11. I didn't think that flavor would taste good (and it's still kind of weird that they actually make it), but it's AMAZING!
This may apply to many things you try. I mean, I probably would never have thought a prawn cocktail would taste good, but hey, when in Rome (England), right?
12. Starbucks just seems so inferior when there's an Italian coffee shop right down the road.
All of the American restaurants and coffee places you may normally swear by seem to pale in comparison to the cute little coffee shop on the corner, or even the typical British chains.
13. Do they use Yik Yak here? Tinder?
The answer is yes, which you soon discover in your occasional states of boredom. And it's very entertaining to explore.
14. I kind of miss Mexican food.
This is the one thing you have yet to have, and it is almost impossible to find. Even if you did, you're not sure if it would really compare to some of the Mexican food you've had in your life (shout-out to Dallas and all the to-die-for Mexican restaurants).
15. This is honestly such a cool place to be. I can't wait to come back someday.
Traveling abroad, especially studying, is nothing short of enlightening. You get to experience things you never would have as a normal tourist. You really experience the lifestyle of the people around you. Random teashop-hangouts may bring you to discover the most beautiful rooftop terrace, and nights out with your fellow students turn into memories of great friendships made that you will forever cherish. The learning is more than just in the classroom, and when you study in England, you can be sure there is never a shortage of celery or tea.
