The last time I left you all, I was waiting to board my flight to London. While waiting, I was thinking about the differences London would have compared to the cities I am familiar with and how I would fit in. Maybe I will leave those updates for a later post but another topic I continued to think about at the airport was how I would grow from the experience.

Academically, I saw this experience as a way to learn from some of the world-renouned professors in their field. Professors that have dedicated their life to the subject they teach and make their students truly understand the bedrock of their subject and building the topics of discussion and make it applicable to real-world situations. As a finance major with interests in investment banking, receiving a part of my finance education at an institution such as LSE is invaluable. This institution is known around the world for producing some of the most intellectually curious and hardworking students that go into the world of business and this can directly tied to the institution and the educational clubs the student union has to provide. By networking with my professor, continuing to show my intellectually curiosity, and joining clubs that truly interest me and are directly tied in the future career field I look to go into, I believe I can achieve my academic goals in London.

Professionaly, my goals are very simple and can broken up into three major points. Not only leverage the institution’s name and resources to network in London with experienced professionals in the field I would like to pursue as a career but also attend speaker series hosted by the institution with top leaders at some of the largest companies in the field. Not only will this allow me to build my network abroad and learn of the professional climate and culture outside of the United States but also expand my knowledge of the business world by listening to some of the most influential people in the field, both opportunities that are largely tied to attending a university like LSE. Finally, the last goal I have is immersing myself in the student led clubs on campus. Although I did mention it before in my academic goals, it make an appearance hear again because of the value clubs at LSE have. Not only are they a great educational tool but they also give club members access to people in fields the club is focused on. With a strong interest in renewable energy financing, I look to join the Business and Investment group and Green Finance society, both with several connection is the finance space and more specifically in the renewable energy space, respectively. Pairing this with my educational goals, I believe this will immensely boost my career goals and build my understanding of the educational and professional cultures and experiences outside of the United States.

Now with all that said, between my academic and professional goals, I have to say my personal goals are a lot more undefined, yet just as important. I came into this experience setting my personal goals very broad, focusing on fun and growth, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t something I work on building each day. As the title of this post eludes, this study abroad experience is all about working hard and playing hard at the same time. From making new friends and forming new connections at a school that hosts one of the largest international student bodies, to learning and adapting to living by myself in a foreign country, and spending my free time walking through London’s well known (and lesser well-known) landmarks, this experience is one I look to fly out of satisfied with my personal growth. To achieve this goal, I believe it’s all about being social, understanding, and respectful of the city’s culture and personas. Not only do I believe that will help me make new connections here at LSE but also help me better admire and understand the landmarks I visit around the city. Furthermore, by getting outside and immersing myself with the locals, taste the local foods, and continue to interact with the city, these daily interactions will make me a better Londoner and teach me valuable skills all while having fun (and hopefully leaving me with a slight British accent!)

Now with all that said, this blog post will be a great way to reflect on what I looked to achieve at the beginning of this experience. Hopefully, when I revisit this post as I wait for my flight home from London, I can say that I have accomplished my goals and grown to be a better person out of this experience. Until then, I will continue to chip away at these goals and continue to share my experiences through my blog!

Cheers,

Rushil