Hey again!
Although it was only just posted, my last post was written a little while ago, so there’s definitely been a lot happening since then! I’ve officially finished university classes – woohoo! The assessments are a bit different over here, and so all my subjects (as I picked courses without exams) have assignments due at the end of April. It’s a little nerve racking as it puts the pressure on only one or two assignments for a whole course, as compared to a few smaller assignments like what we have at UoA! But, what I found was that I was able to fully engage in the courses throughout the semester as I wasn’t worrying about writing assignments all the time.
I also realised I forgot to mention last blog post that I went to Norway in February! It was so gorgeous and such a different experience being in an arctic country. We went to Tromsø, which is in the arctic circle, so it’s really high up. We even visited the northernmost McDonalds in the world which is located there!
I’ve also done a few more day trips around England recently – went to Bath, Manchester, Oxford and Cambridge.
Bath was gorgeous and, as a big Bridgerton fan, it was cool to see all the different filming locations.
Cambridge was also a highlight, I went on a punting tour through the river and they explained a lot of the history of Cambridge. I found out it got its name from the river (River Cam) and all the bridges they have across it = Cam-bridge! Most of the colleges make you pay to go into them, especially the big/famous ones, but there is a few around that are free -> pictured here on the right is Pembroke College!
However, I’ve also done a lot of exploring around London – as thats what I’m here for after all! The weather has been great, so it’s definitely gone above my expectations. It’s also spring now so a lot of flowers are in bloom, specifically cherry blossoms, wisteria and tulips. As there’s so many parks in London, there’s so many opportunities to catch the different blooms. The city really feels like it comes alive with the sunshine!
Okay so – how am I feeling? On the most park, I’m pretty good. But one thing I have found now that I have finished uni, and obviously have a lot more time, my homesickness has gotten a bit stronger. So I thought I’d mention a few ways I try and deal with this!
Keep busy
- It sounds obvious but keeping busy means the days go by so much faster and it gives you things to look forward to
Schedule regular catch ups
- I try and make sure I call my parents every couple of days, but this would look different for everybody! Also scheduling in a catch up with friends is a good way to make sure you keep in touch, otherwise managing schedules can get hard!
Create a routine
- Having a regular routine definitely grounds you and makes it feel more like you’re living here rather than just being on an extended holiday.
Embrace it
- The reality is, for most people, you will be homesick. So try and just accept it, after all it’s just another part of the journey!
- Being realistic that there will be highs and lows of the journey is definitely important.
Thats all I’ve got for you today! I’m off to Scotland and Ireland over the next couple weeks, so my next (and last) blog post will catch you up on that and how I’m feeling about going home 🙂