As a senior, I didn’t think I would get the opportunity to study abroad. I saw Manchester Business School staring back at me from the list of CALS Exchange programs and thought: the application deadline is a week away…you are going to be a senior, what are you doing? So many people tell me its the one thing they regretted not doing in their college career and I didn’t want to be one of those people so yes, I did the application last minute, got accepted and now here I am!
It’s my senior year and instead of stressing about jobs, applications, grad school or no grad school, I am here in the United Kingdom taking classes at one of the world’s best business schools. A better alternative to the stressful academic environment of Cornell, yes–but of course it is deprived of Ithaca’s natural beauty. It’s a big city, loud with construction, street advertisers, university students and the city’s homeless. It’s different, but I like the change for this semester. The streets and the placement of everything seemed tightly placed, the stores looked like boxcars in a toy town. I forgot that United Kingdom a smaller island compared to the vast lands of the United States. I was spoiled by California’s wide streets and huge portion sizes. There are tons of American fast food restaurants to make me feel at home, as well as Indian restaurants that may somewhat resemble my mother’s homemade South Indian cooking. I don’t feel too out of place, I just have to remember that a lift means elevator, surname means last name, there is no such thing as a “restroom” here and do not make a peace sign here because it means your’re flipping someone off. Oh, and always walk on the left side of the road, because you will crash into someone on the right.