One of the main intentions I set for 2019 was to find home in my body. I vowed to make ‘home’ a state of mind rather than a place. As I departed my loved ones and hometown on January 1st to study abroad in London for five months, I knew this hefty goal would be … Continue reading 5 Tips for Staying Centered While Abroad – Sierra Deangelo
As you probably know, STEM students continue to be the minority of those who study abroad in their undergraduate study. Many STEM students either think it is impossible for them to study abroad or feel like it’d be a burden. However, let me assure you, those conceptions are not necessarily true. Myth #1: It Doesn’t … Continue reading 4 Common Myths about STEM Students Studying Abroad – Unique Xue
In my experience, I have experienced similar difficulties with microaggressions, also known as “casual racism” in London, Like the United States, the UK has its own set of racial tensions that inhabit college campuses and the greater London community. In the conversations that I have had with other students of color, similar sentiments about the development of … Continue reading Discussing Race and Identity – Rachel Godfrey
Last autumn, I almost decided against studying abroad in London; I thought it was too expensive, I wouldn’t be able to work, I didn’t want to leave my boyfriend and friends, I wasn’t sure if it would affect my track to graduation. Quite simply, I was scared. Then my boyfriend asked me the most perfect … Continue reading Can I do solo travel if I have anxiety? – Deryn Susman
I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase “coming out” because of the inherent implication about there being a “normal” or “standard” sexuality, while others are regarded as “other” or “strange.” This past summer, I had to wrestle with this concept. I spent a lot of time thinking about my own sexuality. After many conversations … Continue reading Coming Out: The Abroad Edition – Rachel Godfrey
Studying in a foreign environment, as exciting as it is, can be a little daunting. For students who identify as members of marginalized groups, transitioning can be even more difficult. As I was preparing to study abroad, I remember hearing that only 5% of Black students travelled abroad, and I found this statistic to be … Continue reading Being Black and Muslim in London – Rachel Godfrey
Online research about the East End would have you thinking that the most significant part about it was Jack the Ripper. However, London’s EastEnders and those such as myself who have had the opportunity to live here would most certainly disagree. As I prepare to leave my home of the last three months, I am … Continue reading A Love Letter to the East End – Rachel Godfrey
By January of my sophomore year, I was feeling emotionally and physically drained. It was almost as if all of the energy I had mustered over a lifetime had been sucked out of me by my academic and social situations, as well the political climate. I had been working over twenty hours a week, spending … Continue reading For the Student Activist abroad – Rachel Godfrey
Queen Mary Global Bloggers 