Completely surpassed my expectations
After graduating from university, I spent a few years working in the industry, but I still wanted to pursue a master's degree, mainly focused on research. After investigating various options and evaluating my possibilities, with the help of my Across the Pond advisor, I enrolled at Queen Mary University of London.
At the time of writing this essay, a year has passed since I started studying in London, to the point where I'm about to finish the program. I can summarise that my experience has exceeded my expectations in several ways, which I will try to outline in the following paragraphs.
In the academic area, the experience completely surpassed my expectations and led me to push myself to the maximum. I feel as if there's a before and after in terms of the knowledge I've acquired, and I know it will help me get a job in my master's field or, if I decide to, continue with a Ph.D. Contrary to other experiences I've heard about, I can't say it's been easy, but it's quite rewarding to see that consistent work over extended periods has its rewards.
I must make a parenthesis about something that was initially a shock for me. The grading system in the UK is not the same as in Mexico. Here, a 70 could be considered a 90 in Mexico. Any value above 70 is a great grade and is called a "distinction." In one class, on my very first grade, I got a 67, which is in the range between 60 and 69 and is considered a "merit." However, not being used to this grading system, I got quite scared, thinking I would have to work much harder than I was accustomed to.
Regarding my stay, I met people from practically all continents with equally enriching and very diverse worldviews. I believe that the most important thing when meeting such different people is to always be willing to listen, not judge, and want to learn from others.
Lastly, London is an impressive city; there's always something to do or someplace to visit. You can get lost for days in any area of the city and always find something you haven't seen before that will amaze you. Its museums, theatres, parks, monuments, and bars speak of how it is a living city that reinvents itself and is in constant evolution. You can be having coffee in a building that was built more than 500 years ago while looking at a skyscraper through the window.
This is just a summary of the experience I've had during my stay in London, with some recommendations. Like everything in life, my experience as a student in London is coming to an end and, without a doubt, it has been something I will always remember and would repeat without hesitation. I would like to conclude with a quote from Gimli from The Lord of the Rings: "Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and it did not hold me back. But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy. Now I have taken my worst wound in this parting, even if I were to go this night straight to the Dark Lord."
Recommendations when studying in London
● Monitor your budget: it's very easy to survive on a limited budget, but be careful where you go out or eat because it's equally easy to spend your weekly budget in just one outing.
● Always carry a raincoat and waterproof footwear; you never know when it might rain.
● The city has an impressive transport infrastructure: there will always be a metro line or bus that will take you to your destination. Using a taxi is much more expensive.
● There are plenty of museums and outdoor activities that are free of charge; you just need to book in advance for some of them.
● Take vitamin D in winter if you're not used to a few hours of sunlight. 😊
- Jorge Eduardo