What I learned outside the classroom
After a year of studying in London, I am left with a wealth of experiences and knowledge. In addition to gaining new insights into Psychology, I also developed valuable skills and perspectives outside the university setting.
Budgeting and Financial Responsibility
It is no secret that student life can be financially challenging, making it a great opportunity to gain experience in managing money. While studying in London, I did not have a job and instead relied on a student loan. Since accommodation and tuition were my most important and unavoidable expenses, I created a budget for everything else. I went grocery shopping once a week, which I found to be an effective way to save money and reduce food waste. It helped me avoid daily trips to the supermarket, impulse purchases, and the temptation to eat out frequently. As for activities and entertainment, London offers a wide variety of free attractions and experiences and is also a very walkable city. With only a small amount of research, it is possible to find plenty of things to do without spending much money. In addition, the bus network is extensive, affordable, and reliable.
By being mindful of my spending and planning the activities I genuinely wanted to do, I found that managing my finances was much easier than I initially expected, and I rarely felt stressed about money.
Cultural Awareness and Perspective
England is only a short flight from home, and I had visited London before, so I did not experience a culture shock. However, living in another country is very different from visiting it as a tourist. Experiencing everyday life in London gave me a unique perspective and proved to be the best way to immerse myself in British culture and understand it firsthand. Because both the city and the university are culturally diverse, I met people from a wide range of backgrounds and was exposed to many different cultures. This broadened my understanding of different lifestyles and viewpoints while giving me a new perspective on the world. It also taught me how to appreciate and learn about the experiences of others without making assumptions or appearing pretentious or distant.
Time Management and Study-Life Balance
The reason I moved to London was to study and having that goal in mind helped me stay motivated. However, there were times when I felt stressed and overwhelmed, and some days passed with little more than studying and staying in my room. Throughout the year, I developed a schedule and established a routine that allowed me to take my studies seriously, attend classes, submit all my assignments on time, and still have time for fun and exploration. For me, working on assignments on Mondays and Tuesdays from after my morning gym session until around three o’clock in the afternoon worked particularly well. Having a consistent routine made it easier to focus, and once the habit was established, studying became much more natural.
Since my classes were on Thursdays and Fridays, I had Wednesdays, the weekends, and most afternoons free. This gave me the opportunity to review material from the previous week after a short break, helping me avoid feeling overwhelmed while still staying ahead before new content was introduced. It also made it easier to relax during my free time because I knew I had a plan that would ensure my assignments were completed.
Communication, Language, and Social Skills
At the beginning of the year, everyone was new, and meeting people could feel intimidating. However, when you are constantly interacting with new people, it quickly becomes easier. English is also my second language, and although I already felt comfortable using it, speaking it every day improved both my pronunciation and vocabulary.
Through meeting people from different backgrounds, I learned how to adapt my communication style to different personalities, accents, and ways of speaking. I also became better at interpreting how others communicated. Some people simply have a very direct way of speaking, which does not necessarily mean they are being rude or critical. Others would ask direct questions without much context, which initially caught me off guard, but over time I learned to respond more naturally and confidently. As a result, I became much more comfortable in diverse social settings, whether at university, in shops, on public transport, or elsewhere in the city. I learned the social norms and expectations and gradually felt that I fit in.
Independence, Self-Reliance, and Adaptability
Living alone came with many responsibilities, ranging from everyday decisions such as what to eat for dinner to handling paperwork and unexpected challenges. My advice would be not to worry too much during the first few weeks. Instead, focus on identifying which parts of your schedule are occupied by essential commitments and where you have free time. As time passes, you naturally find the most effective way to organize your responsibilities.
Once tasks become routine, they require less effort and can be completed more efficiently. Navigating a large city and adapting to an unfamiliar environment not only improved my sense of direction but also increased my confidence in new situations. As I became more independent, my confidence and self-reliance grew significantly. When new challenges arise, I now feel equipped to deal with them effectively. Because everything was unfamiliar at first, I developed a strong ability to adapt. Today, I adjust easily to new situations, and unexpected challenges rarely cause me stress.
Overall, I finished the year with a strong sense of confidence and accomplishment. Living in another country taught me independence, adaptability, and resilience while providing experiences and skills that will benefit me throughout my life. The year showed me that I can handle challenges, adjusting to new situations, and achieving the goals I set for myself.
- Maren Felicity Cook
