Submitted by Megan Zalinkanskas the 2024 Spring program in London, England…
Last weekend, I spent some time with local British girls at a karaoke bar. It was so awesome to hear local British accents, which I don’t hear often considering all of my classmates are from American universities. I met one of the girls on a date, and she introduced me to some of her friends. It was a great time and they introduced me to British music I hadn’t heard before. Surprisingly, we got a private room to sing our hearts out instead of one big room with everyone as I was expecting. While we were all close in age, I was the only student among them. It was very interesting to hear what professional life is like in London for people my age. It is much more common for people to skip university in the UK than in the US. There is more professional, specialized training that students can do to prepare them for careers without a university education. This college-level training allows students to start their professional lives sooner. That, coupled with the lower drinking age in Europe, creates a space where 20-year-olds are actual adults with 9-5 jobs and bills to pay. I know technically I’m an adult everywhere in the world, but I am still very much a sheltered college student. It’s a little intimidating to be around such accomplished women, but also inspiring and exciting to see what my life might be like when I graduate and can start a professional career. (Submitted on April 18,2024)