For me, I did not have one dramatic event that made me realize I was away from home, it was more of a slow realization that I was fully responsible for myself in London. Everything from grocery shopping, to planning my own weekend trips, figuring out how to balance my classes, internship, and exploring London, there was no one telling me what I should be doing or where I have to be. While I am also left to do all this while at Pitt, this felt different because I was in another country. If something went wrong, everything was unfamiliar to me. Who would I call if I hurt myself? What would I do if I was lost and had no service? The fact that absolutely everything about my new experience was unfamiliar was a little daunting.
When I booked my first weekend trip, I had the realization that I was doing this on my own. After booking a flight that worked with my classes and internship schedule, spent hours searching for the best stay I could find, and figuring out what activities to do while in that city, all while only giving myself about 48 hours there, I realized that this was a whole new level of independence.
Another moment that made everything feel very real was the time difference between London and the United States. Being five hours ahead of everyone at home was sort of lonely at first. Usually I will have an entire morning before anyone back home is even awake. I no longer had the luxury of waking up at eight or nine and texting someone, expecting an almost instant reply. However, I adapted to this eventually and altered my expectations, realizing that no one would answer my texts or calls at four in the morning.
Being so far from home has taught me to rely on myself more and spend more time alone. My roommates and I all have different schedules, so I often find myself going to a coffee shop or cafe alone. This was uncomfortable at first, but these moments of having to figure out these things all alone without being able to rely on anyone else, is what really shaped my entire experience abroad. At first, the freedom was a little overwhelming, but now I feel so proud of how much I have grown during this time. I have become much more independent, confident, and feel as though I can handle any unexpected challenge I may face. This experience has taught me just how much I can trust myself, which is something that I will carry with me far beyond London, into my life back at home and in my future career in marketing.