Sofia Montoya-Deck ’26 | A Semester Abroad in London

I was initially motivated to study abroad because I love exploring different locations and cultures. The opportunity seemed like the perfect way to blend my studies with my passion for travel. I chose London because of its exciting culture and media, and it is one of the most diverse cities in the world. I’ve seen this proven time and time again. Sometimes, when I’m walking around the city or traveling on the tube, I hear a variety of other languages being spoken more commonly than English.

While studying abroad, I am taking a film history course to help fulfill my communication arts major requirements. I am also taking a few businesses courses, including Microeconomics and Business Management. It’s especially interesting to be able to compare certain things I’ve learned in my studies at Hood with what I am being taught here. In my business courses, for example, a lot of symbols used in equations are different, which has taken some getting used to.

One thing I’ve learned while studying abroad is to always take the opportunity for an adventure. Even after doing day trips and weekend adventures all semester long, I still feel as though there is so much of London and England I’ve yet to explore. When I get back to Frederick, I hope to spend more time trying new things and taking advantage of the area we live in.

I’ve also learned how important it is to simply participate. I’ve joined a few clubs while at my new school, and it has been a great way to meet new people and build a new community while abroad. By joining the running club here, I have made friends from both the U.S. and U.K., as well as other countries. I ran in my first cross country meet and was able to represent my London school, which was a very cool experience.

One thing I think would be great to bring back to campus from my time abroad is some of the British vernacular. It is very common to hear people here say “cheers!” instead of “thanks.” “How are you” is often replaced by “you alright?” If something is cool you say, “It’s calm.” The elevator is strictly referred to as a “lift.” The list goes on and on.

The highlight of my time in London has been traveling to different parts of the city and finding various reasons to love each one. Some areas are better for peace and quiet in an otherwise bustling city, and others are best for their astounding architecture. London offers endless opportunities to visit new buildings, parks, restaurants, museums and more. The city is an astounding 607 square miles (for comparison, the City of Frederick is about 24 square miles). One thing that pleasantly surprised me about London is how many great parks it has. If you’re ever tired of the city streets, there is almost always a giant area of greenery and water just a 15 minute walk away. I find it to be the perfect addition of nature into city life.

Although it may sound like a cliché, I truly think study abroad is an invaluable experience. Spending this time in London over the past few months has given me the opportunity to call a new place my home. I can go to the nearest public transit station and get to where I need to go without having to rely on a phone map; I know the best grocery stores to go to for certain deals; and I’ll even ask for “take-away” instead of “to-go” when ordering out. It is an amazing experience to be completely familiar with a city that a short while ago you knew nothing about.

My advice to any student getting ready to study abroad is to be excited to step out of your comfort zone. Although it can be scary at first to be far away from your friends and family, it is truly the adventure of a lifetime. Never say no to new opportunities, and always take advantage of the time you have away because it certainly goes by quicker than you think.