Submitted by Emily Brymer on the 2016 summer session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Art…
The most important and valuable skill I learned over study abroad is gaining independence to travel by myself and to initiate trips outside London. When I first came to England, I was afraid to leave large groups of people in fear of getting lost. Because of this, I did not have a clear sense of my surroundings and easily got lost if I strayed behind others. Then, one weekend, I decided to go outside of my flat to go shopping in a market on the other side of the city. There are a lot of aspects one is accountable for when you’re traveling alone: Understanding directions, figuring out which method is the best to get from point A to point B, being aware of your surroundings, and above all, paying attention and staying focused. On the plus side, traveling alone gave me the freedom to set my own rules and to not worry about taking care of anyone else. I gained confidence; enough to schedule a day trip to Liverpool and feel in control of planning and navigation (note to readers: do not go to Liverpool). I believe understanding how to travel alone is a major rite of passage in adulthood, and I wouldn’t have learned it without studying abroad.