An experience of a lifetime
The academic aspect of studying abroad is crucial, but only one among the many factors that shape you for your life ahead.
I had the opportunity of pursuing my second Masters degree in London and I can say with certitude that it was a wholly enriching experience. I’d recommend everyone to spend time in a new unknown country if opportunity thus permits. And what better opportunity if you can also shore up on your knowledge and skills at the same time with an academic degree!
In the heart of London
King’s College London was an experience in itself. Set in the heart of the historic city of London, it provided me with the opportunity of seeing and living with history. The MSc in Environment and Development was a one-year long course and was very rigorous with much emphasis on self learning and very little on classroom lectures. This was a new experience for me and it took a while to adjust to the academic workings in the West.
The other huge difference was the standard of academic writing. The bachelor degrees in the UK emphasise academic writing skills and the students are well versed with the systems of referencing and citations, something I had a tough time grasping — but with much effort and exercise, it wasn’t insurmountable. Professors encouraged independent thought and brought with them a wealth of experience.
In academic discussions, the range of experience carried by members in the class is varied and rich. You see parallels in problems around the world and learn to appreciate differences.
Apart from your own classmates, you are thrown into an open sea of new faces and multiple cultures. You can choose to remain unaffected by all this, but I’d suggest going with an open mind to understand as many differences.
I also had the opportunity to travel to other university towns in the UK and soak in the history associated with these places. It was fun to walk into the different colleges in Cambridge for instance with the knowledge that our former (Rajiv Gandhi) and present (Manmohan Singh) prime ministers must have walked those paths as students. When you see a statue of Newton and Darwin and know that this is where they learnt and taught, you grasp that those greats must have been ordinary students at some point in time. The connect with history is absolutely astonishing!
Intellectual sessions
London being a political, business and cultural hub, there were many talks and seminars that would keep taking place, which one could make use of. Educational institutions of excellence, of which there is no dearth in London and around, hold sessions on topics of various interests that are open to everyone.
Apart from professional networking and opportunities to learn, living in an alien country throws you out of your comfort zone and forces you to emerge from your shell. There is so much to learn! From students, from the people you meet, from experiences, from history. Just by comparing notes in a class comprising of students from all conceivable nationalities you are exposed to more and more. You learn something new every day.
Personally, London made me its own right from the moment I stepped in. The multicultural city is a celebration of differences and a great city to study in. London being one of the most expensive cities in the world exposed me to a whole new side of looking at things.
There were many student activities and places to eat at student-only prices. Money or the lack thereof would not pose any threats to the fun you can have. Staying in student dorms with students of different nationalities was fun and informative. I look back to the year in London fondly, it went too soon but it gave me an experience of a lifetime.
