So you got accepted to the study abroad program at Ithaca College London Center...now what? Well, lucky for you I studied abroad at ICLC in the Fall 2015 semester, and I am here to answer your questions. I know that I had a ton of questions right after my acceptance, so do not start freaking out just yet. I can be your Study Abroad fairy godmother.

How do I deal with culture shock?

You will be living in a new city in a different country with a lot of people, some you know and some you don't. You are going to be seeing things you do not understand or recognize, and that is totally OK. The first time you hold British Pound notes and coins is a very strange experience. They are very pretty to look at which is a plus, but there are a lot of coins. Get used to using coins constantly. I don't know about you but in America I very rarely will sort through my change. But sometimes in England you will pay entirely with coins. Handing over a pile of coins is commonplace to the person behind the till.

Something you will get used to quickly is the accent. Hearing the Londoner's accent is quite pleasant even if they are yelling at you to walk on the other side of the sidewalk. Now, figuring out which way to look when crossing the street is actually not as hard as it seems. London does this lovely thing where on the ground it will say which way to look, and this is written at almost every single street crossing.

How do I survive the dreaded flat hunt?

So when you get to London you get to stay in a nice hotel for exactly seven days. On the eighth day you are kicked out, and they just assume you have found somewhere to live. Now, this sounds super stressful and scary and I'm going to be honest with you, it kind of is. Don't freak out just yet though. When you check into the hotel, you have a quick orientation where they hand you a piece of paper with 10-15 landlords who students have worked with in the past. And then you just start calling.

Now, London is an expensive city. Your rent when abroad is going to be high, and sadly, there isn't too much you can do about it. Most people have between three and six roommates--obviously the more roommates the less you pay in rent.

There are many different boroughs in London to choose from. I lived in Bayswater, but I know others who have lived in Edgware Road and Earls Court, just to name a few. When choosing a place to live, just make sure that you live near a Tube/Underground station as this will most likely be how you'll get to class everyday.

But will I really need to go to class?

OK, they are actually pretty strict about class attendance, but don't worry...most of the time you won't mind going to class. While I was in London I took four courses: Shakespeare, Irish Literature, British Comedy, and British Pop Music. You still have to take 12 credits to be a full time student, but don't over do it. I was lucky enough to create a schedule where I only was in class on Monday and Tuesday, and I had the rest of the week to go adventuring.

Classes are three hours long, which at times can be painful, but most professors give you a 20-30 minute tea break at some point. Also, the classes are actually really interesting. Most of the classes I took involved some sort of fun, out-of-class field trips. In Shakespeare I got to go see six performances and even got to go on a weekend trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon. In British Pop we were required to go to concerts/gigs, while in Irish Literature we went as a class to see Brooklyn in cinemas. Yes, there were still essays to write and presentations to facilitate, but its not the worst thing in the world.

Is the transportation as confusing as it sounds?

If you have ever ridden on any subway in any city I can promise the London Underground, also known as the Tube, is much easier. The tube station near your flat will become like your second home. You will be there so often, and you'll be able to walk through Gloucester Road (the station by ICLC) blindfolded at the end of the term.

Now, you are going to want to get a Zone 1 + 2 student Oyster travelcard. Again, this sounds confusing, but I promise you it isn't. Then you just tap into the station and tap out when you get off at your location. All the lines are color coordinated and have names. I would recommend getting the app CityMapper especially for your first month or so. You just type in where you need to go, and it tells you exactly which line to get on and where to get off. It for sure saved me many a times at the start of my program. Also, there is the option to walk places. The city of London is quite big but still possible to explore. I would not recommend trying to walk from Piccadilly Circus to Tower Hill. It might not seem that long on the map, but you will be walking for at least an hour.

When should I book my trips and are they pricey?

Well I know some people who booked their trips before we even landed in London, but I booked my trips as I decided them. So for some, this meant a month before, while for others it meant a few days before. With that attitude I still ended up visiting not only Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Ireland, but also many other cities within the United Kingdom.

My two biggest tips come in the form of websites. The first website you need to become familiar with is Skyscanner, this site will become your best friend. You will be flying for super cheap in no time as long as you constantly check this site. I bought round-trip tickets to Rome only two weeks before my trip for only $90. You can also check out RyanAir and Easy Jet's official websites for weekly deals.

So you've got your flight...now you need a place to stay. This is where Airbnb comes in. There are people around the world who rent out their empty rooms and homes to people in need of a place to stay for super cheap. I haven't heard of a bad situation arising out of this yet—I've actually heard the opposite. Everyone I know who has used the site raves about it.

One last tip about travel would be this: don't shy away from the group tours. There are so many out there that go to so many places, so there is probably one you will enjoy. These tours usually involve housing, daily activities, and sometimes even food. I did a guided tour of Ireland and a guided cruise through Greece and Turkey.

I'm going to be honest...sometimes I would forget I was actually supposed to be studying abroad, not just traveling.

Now, I know I didn't cover everything and you probably still have about a million questions. My advice is to just message anyone who has been abroad. If they are anything like me, they love talking about every aspect of studying abroad and would love to help you out. Now I know how cliché it is to say, but studying abroad in London really did help me grow up as a person, and I think I've changed since moving back to The States. I'm going to get back to staring longingly at all my Facebook albums now, but I hope I've helped even just a little bit and you now realize how much your life is about to change.