Katherine Johnson
About My Study Abroad Program
Major/Minor: Economics and Contemporary European Studies with a minor in French
Program: London School of Economics
Location: London, England
Email: katj1200@email.unc.edu
Term: Summer 2022
Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you select your program?
I chose to study abroad at the London School of Economics (LSE) because I wanted to experience going to university in another country. I have always wanted to live in London, and this program allowed me to fulfill requirements for my degree while accomplishing this goal. Even though it is a large city, I found London to be easily navigable and quite friendly. There was always something to do or see, and this was a large reason why I chose to study abroad in London instead of a smaller city. Academically, LSE was perfect for me because it offered a lot of economics and political science courses which related directly to my areas of study. I took a course called the Economics of European Integration while there, and I really enjoyed it! Additionally, studying abroad at LSE allowed me to meet a ton of international students who had similar interests as me. When it came down to it, the people, the place, and the learning environment made my experience so worthwhile.
What did you learn about yourself?
When the program first began, I struggled with the difficulty of the first economics course and also had trouble acclimating to London. I persevered and ended up having a great time. This experience taught me that new experiences can be challenging, but there is always a silver lining if you give yourself time.
What is one of your favorite memories from your program?
It was the fourth week of my time in London, and I had recently gone out to lunch with some people from my International Relations course. We got to talking, and my friend Tommaso told everyone that he had previously spent a summer in London working as a tour guide. We were all shocked but excited because he promised to take us on a tour of the city. The following week, we got together and started our "tour" of London, which consisted of walking to Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and seeing a bunch of other famous landmarks in the city. Our friend group consisted of students from the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, and Switzerland, and it was so cool to go on this experience with them. Tommaso was a great tour guide, since he knew everything there was to know about the city. I created so many good memories from that day, and I am still in contact with the friends I made.
What advice do you have for future study abroad students?
It is always a good idea to stay in contact with your study abroad advisor. I emailed mine when the program became tough, and he was super helpful in the transition process. He gave me the confidence to push though the tough times and also the administrative support I needed from back home.
Memories
