The past month I was given a wonderful opportunity to study abroad in London, United Kingdom. There were twenty-one of us and two amazing professors: Michael Berry and Doug Aaron. Inside the classroom we studied two courses, Thermodynamics and Circuits, which were difficult but by actively participating in the classroom and working as a team outside, we were able to complete both courses. Class was every day from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon which sounds like a lot, and it was, but somehow, we still had much free time to roam the city and have a chance to bond with each other.
Not only did we learn the material for these classes from notes and textbooks, but study abroad gave us the opportunity of a lifetime to see many of the inventions in real life. One example was a place called the Kew Bridge Steam Museum which had multiple 1800s steam engines that were kept running today. Learning about steam cycles in class then actually seeing it work in person was mind blowing and really helped my understanding of the subject. The field trips we went on like Bletchley Park, the Prime Meridian, and many of their free museums really brought a new perspective on the world of engineering and helped connect many of my questions with an answer that I would have never experienced without this study abroad trip.
Engineering was the focus of the trip, but we were given a great amount of time to explore not only London but other countries if you wanted to travel outside of London. I personally, with some of the others, went to Edinburgh, Scotland for our free weekend. We got to experience their culture and see wonderful sites that you would not get in America. The main thing I learned on this trip was to embrace everything around you and just live every moment day by day because time moves fast as you’re having fun. I also gained much appreciation and inspiration from many of the past works of genius engineers that revolutionized the world today. Engineering In London. A trip I will cherish for the rest of my life.