Kayla Smith

I had the opportunity to study abroad in London for my spring semester of junior year. I loved every second! I lived in Camden and took a 20-30 minute tube ride on the Northern Line to Faraday House, the Syracuse University London Campus building in Soho. Both locations are amazing, providing opportunities for everyone. Almost all of the classes I took are based around the city of London, experiencing it, learning about it, and understanding how it came to be what it is today. All of the staff are so helpful and friendly – you can tell they want what is best for us and want to help us get the most out of our semester abroad. I am so grateful for this opportunity!

I was surprised by how similar yet still different, like I expected, London is. I did experience a little bit of culture shock, especially in the grocery store, but you learn everything pretty quickly. I really appreciate how the orientation program gave us a lot of background on the city and set us up for when we arrived.

This experience has shaped me into a better and more thoughtful person. I believe that I have become more observant, outgoing, and knowledgeable, especially when it comes to worldliness. It has allowed me to gain confidence in my choice of architecture as a profession. I see it being more applicable here than in the suburbs of the United States. The history here allows me to study more and get inspired for new design ideas.

This experience has allowed me to confirm that I want to move to Europe after graduation. I was hoping that I would be able to move here, but being here has solidified that goal. The opportunities in a European city are broader than one in the United States. There is more diversity in ways of thinking, working, and being – very different than I am used to.

Receiving an award from Honors has provided me with opportunities to travel and experience and learn more about Europe. With the award, I was able to go to eight other countries in addition to all of the exploring I did within England. I was able to learn and experience so much that I otherwise may never have been able to.