MEET MARY.
Year: Incoming Senior
Age: 21
Hometown: Northridge, CA
Q: Overall impressions?
A: While I was in London, I thought it was a lovely, very well thought of program. The immersion into London culture and history was just the right amount to where we were able to truly integrate what we learned into what we saw as we walked through the city streets whether on our own or with the professor.
Q: Is there something that you know now about London that you wish you would have known before you got here?
A: I wish I knew that it had the capability of being warm and humid. I was under the impression that it was cold throughout the year so I packed for the completely wrong weather.
Q: What are your thoughts on student housing?
A: I personally thought our student housing location was absolutely superb! The rooms may not have been as big as we wanted and the temperature got a little hot, but that made me want to go out and explore during free time! In the evenings, the temperature was just right and the bed was comfortable so at the end of the day, our dorms served their purpose.
Q: How was the academic experience?
A: This is hands down, the best English class I have taken with UCLA thus far. I learned so much from Professor Makdisi and it was material that I was eager to learn more about. It is so different experiencing the history come to life. I also enjoyed being able to ask questions and approach the professor in a way that I never would be able to in a lecture environment. It was truly eye-opening and riveting.
Q: Any trouble balancing school & leisure?
A: I personally did not have trouble balancing school and leisure because before I even went on the trip, I told myself to be organized as much as possible because I really wanted to experience learning about London in the class and on my own. In the setting, I was actually excited to do the readings because every reading came to life everywhere we went. The load is not bad at all, so if you plan accordingly and stay organized, it really should not be a problem.
Q: What do you think about London culture?
A: I love, love, love the atmosphere and the people of London. I love how convenient everything is and how easily accessible everything is with the Underground. Everyone I met was so friendly and so welcoming and loved talking to me about my experience in the city. They were really helpful when I didn’t know how to get around or I didn’t know where to go. I loved being able to explore by myself without feeling scared or unsafe. I don’t recommend exploring alone at night too much, but the times I did do it were completely safe!
A: I personally expected London to be expensive, so I was not surprised. I wish I knew what credit cards did and did not work before I flew in because that would have been helpful as well, but everything worked out smoothly!
Q: What is it that students MUST do in London? What was your favorite touristy thing to do? What was your favorite non-tourist thing to do?
A: Students must take advantage of the location! Our program is in the heart of London, so we had more than enough time to hang out in the “touristy” parts of London without having to pay for a double-decker bus tour because we were in a rush. I was able to visit each tourist destination properly because I visited one per day! I definitely recommended night walks along the Thames by Big Ben and the London Eye! Listening to the Westminster chimes is absolutely breathtaking, especially without the busy bustle of afternoon tours! I also recommend Borough Market, Piccadilly Circus, and Oxford Circus for nightlife! Whether you’re going out to explore pubs or singing on the streets with London natives, these “Circuses” are so much fun! Students must also keep in mind that London sleeps earlier than Los Angeles does.
Q: Would you recommend UCLA Travel Study London?
A: 100% yes! This was the most amazing and enriching experience of my life and I would not have gone with any other program!
MEET AN.
Year: Incoming Senior
Age: 20
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Q: Overall impressions?
A: I absolutely love my travel study experience in London! The city is lovely, the people are friendly, and my travel group is fantastic! I love how we learn both inside the classroom through discussion and lecture and outside the classroom through walking tours in the streets of London. Every day is a new adventure to explore, and your travel study group kind of becomes your family while you're here, and it's great. London is a gorgeous place with endless places to explore and things to do, and I'm so happy and thankful to be experiencing it with the best group of people.
Q: Tell us about any excursions you've taken outside of London. How would you rate the experience? Would you recommend it? Is there anything you would have done differently? And if you don't mind, what did it cost you?
A: Outside of London, I've kept my travels within the UK for the sake of time and money. I traveled to Oxford, Bath, Brighton, and Cambridge, spending about a day or less in each location on the weekends. These trips were enjoyable and I would definitely recommend them. I wouldn't have done much differently, but I would recommend to always travel early enough in the morning so that you have enough time to explore because things tend to close around 5pm or so. Also, I would suggest visiting sites like Cambridge and Oxford on weekdays too (if class permits), because as universities, they close several parts of their campus on weekends. Train tickets to each place generally averaged around 20 pounds or less (round trip), but if you travel in groups of 3+, you can definitely get a discount.
Q: What are your thoughts on student housing?
A: The student housing is great. I love having a single room and bathroom all to myself, and it's nice to share a floor and kitchen with others.
Q: How was the academic experience?
A: The academic experience is solid. I had no trouble balancing school & leisure. Most of our work during the program consists of just reading and absorbing all the knowledge from class and walking tours, so there is plenty of time to explore and have fun in the city while balancing academics. Even when we go exploring together for fun, we end up learning cool things too, so school & leisure actually end up going together very well.
Q: What do you think about London culture?
A: London culture is very similar to American culture, except people keep to themselves more, are not as rowdy or loud, and the public transportation is phenomenal. The people are very friendly and have a good sense of humor from what I've noted, haha.
A: London-living costs less than what I had budgeted for. Most of your money is spent on transportation, but even then, if you're smart with your money through packing your own lunches or traveling during off-peak hours, you can definitely save some money.
Q: What is it that students MUST do in London? What was your favorite touristy thing to do? What was your favorite non-tourist thing to do?
A: The MUST do thing in London is taking a stroll through one of the beautiful parks and then having a picnic there with friends. My favorite touristy thing to do was going inside St. Paul's Cathedral and climbing all the steps to get to the very top, where you get a breath-taking, panoramic view of the city of London. My favorite non-tourist thing to do was just having picnics with friends at various parks, visiting bookstores, and just wandering around the city.
Q: Would you recommend UCLA Travel Study London?
A: I would 100% recommend UCLA Travel Study London to fellow Bruins!
Q: Did living in London cost more, less, or the same as what you had budgeted for?
MEET CHRISTINE
Year: Incoming Senior
Age: 20
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Q: Overall impressions?
A: The Professor did an excellent job of incorporating the physical cityscape with the curriculum, making an unforgettable and tangible connection as well as unqiue way to experience this amazing city.
A: I got lucky and packed a lot of cereal, it is quite expensive here and the expenses rack up quickly. Come prepared and pre plan things that you can like cereal. My box of cheerios I brought saved me so many breakfasts.
Q: What is it that students MUST do in London? What was your favorite touristy thing to do? What was your favorite non-tourist thing to do?
A: When in London you MUST explore the nooks and crannies. A lot of times students want music and parties but the city is rich with nature and history you just can't get in the States. So yes touristy things are worth it but also non-tourist things like Hampstead Heath and or a music festival, both a must!
Q: Would you recommend UCLA Travel Study London?
A: I would most definitely recommend Study Abroad. You knock out requirements and get to explore a new place, experiencing it in a thought provoking as well as intelligent way.
