Ishita – King’s College London – England
Semester 1, 2023
Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Laws
Over the past 6 months, I have thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into a new academic and social environment and exploring Kings College London (KCL) beautiful campus.
KCL
My overall experience at KCL was quite positive. Being situated at the main campus in the heart of London allowed me to easily access all the attractions the city has to offer. KCL’s multiple campuses throughout London also provided great convenience in terms of accessibility. One of the highlights was the incredible diversity among the students, as I found myself surrounded by people from various corners of the world. It was fascinating to hear different languages being spoken as I walked through the halls.
The content of the units I took was genuinely interesting and engaging. While the majority of my coursework involved assignments, it provided me with the flexibility to manage my university workload effectively and still find time to explore London and neighbouring countries.
London
The decision to live and study in a culturally diverse city like London proved to be an invaluable opportunity for my personal and professional growth. London is such a vibrant city, and its dynamic landscape allowed me to embrace diversity and foster a deeper understanding of global perspectives. During most of my time in London I was in a food coma, there are so many cuisines on offer and despite living there for 6 months, I do not think I have tried even a fourth of them! The London public transport system is also fantastic, the tubes, buses and trains are very accessible and quick.
Travel
One of my highlights was the ease of travelling to European countries. Flights out from London during off-peak season are quite cheap so I would often make trips over a long weekend or during my term break. I made many exchange friends and was fortunate to travel with them to Scotland, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Austria. It is also very easy and relatively inexpensive to make day trips from London. In under 3 hours you can visit places like Cambridge, Windsor, Oxford, Manchester, Dover, Brighton, and Bath.
Tips
When planning the finances for your trip I would recommend overbudgeting. I underestimated how expensive London was and was surprised to discover that the prices for goods in London are very similar to Australia but in pounds. For example, a coffee in Brisbane is $5 and a coffee in London is 5 Pounds. But 1 Pound = around $2 so you have to double everything!
At the end, I am grateful for the opportunity to go on exchange, expand my worldview and create memories that would last a lifetime.
