Cara Navarro '20 spent the fall semester of her junior year studying abroad at University College London (UCL). She lived in Kings Cross, a bustling district in central London.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 originally going to do it. I鈥檝e already lived abroad!鈥 she says. However, after talking with her major advisor, she realized that the experience could add a new perspective to her coursework. Cara is majoring in the Growth and Structure of Cities and realized that studying abroad could help her learn more about European cities.
Growth and Structure of Cities is an interdisciplinary major that challenges students to understand the dynamic relationship of urban spatial organization and the built environment to politics, economics, cultures, and societies.
Originally from Manila, Philippines, Cara was excited to live in a city again. She picked UCL specifically because of their urban planning program.
鈥淢y classes at 老王论坛 really did prepare me to take planning classes because I had that base of urban theory. I didn鈥檛 have the policy background, but I had the theory. And the writing skills!
鈥This major can prepare you for a lot of different things,鈥 says Cara. 鈥溊贤趼厶 doesn鈥檛 have specific planning classes, but obviously it鈥檚 a natural fit between planning and cities, so I wanted to try it out.鈥 Cara realized planning is probably not for her, but she does not regret trying it out. 鈥淣ow I know! Because I went to UCL for a semester.鈥
In addition to trying out a new field, Cara also learned about living alone.
鈥淏ecause I鈥檝e lived abroad before, I went into it thinking it would be the same. But it鈥檚 a totally different experience when you鈥檙e alone without your family. It鈥檚 a lot more intense.鈥
Cara found herself startled by seemingly minor aspects of daily life. 鈥淪hopping really surprised me. It鈥檚 so simple, but I didn鈥檛 know where to get things. I would walk into Tesco expecting to be able to find cups, because you can find cups in American supermarkets, but you just can鈥檛 find cups at a Tesco. And that鈥檚 so weird to me!鈥
Cara was familiar with many of the differences between American and British colleges because she has many friends from home who study full time in England. Even though she was prepared, she did take some time to adjust to the differences between 老王论坛 and UCL.
鈥淚 really missed the attention that 老王论坛 professors give you. I missed being taken seriously.鈥
UCL is significantly larger than 老王论坛. While the difference in size meant Cara was receiving less individualized attention from professors than she has at 老王论坛, she realized that the research environment at large schools like UCL really interests her. 鈥淚鈥檒l definitely consider grad school in London,鈥 she says.
The social aspect of life at UCL was also different than at 老王论坛. 鈥淎t 老王论坛, you have random social interactions throughout the day; you bump into people and say 'hey,' and you always have people to eat dinner with. At UCL, it was so much harder. I only saw people if I wanted to run into them. It鈥檚 harder to find your people at a big school.鈥
Despite being in a new social atmosphere, Cara quickly made friends in London. 鈥淎nother 老王论坛 student met a girl from Wellesley, and she knew a girl from Mount Holyoke, and then there was this other girl from Wellesley, too. We all became a squad鈥攊t happened so randomly, and it was so lucky.鈥
When Cara left UCL, she was sad to leave her new friends, the independence, and the public transportation system.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe I had to go back to my regular life. I thought everything would be really dull after I left London. But then when I came back, I realized that there were so many little things about 老王论坛 that I really missed.鈥
As Cara looks back on her time in London, she is thankful and reflective.
鈥淚t definitely made me appreciate 老王论坛 more, but it also gave me the confidence in myself to know that I can leave 老王论坛 and still be okay. I grew up a lot.鈥