I chose to study abroad to have a unique independent experience, and to take advantage of travel and culture while I have a chance. I selected Bristol for a few reasons. Firstly, I did not want to be in a huge city. I grew up in Los Angeles and have lived here my whole life, so I yearned for something completely different. I wanted to go somewhere where I knew no one, and had never been to. I also chose Bristol for its film and music scene. They have great Drum & Bass and Trip-Pop DJs/Bands that I greatly admire, as well as famous street art like the works of Banksy. The film program at the University of Bristol was also excellent, and I wanted an education from a British perspective, which I am so glad I now have.

I lived with three flatmates, all of which were from England (London and Brighton) in the Bristol city centre. I had my own room and bathroom, but we shared a communal kitchen. It was great to live in the city centre, and even though Bristol is big, it was so easy to get around with the bus system (I recommend using the FirstBus app). My roommates were so accommodating, and showed me around everywhere so that I became familiar with the city, which I am extremely grateful for.

One of my favorite memories from my program is the people, and experiencing new things with these people. Everyone, both British and International study abroad students, were so welcoming, and so much fun. I made great friends from all over the world, two of my best friends being from Canada and Australia, and loved going to bars, music events, parks, museums, etc. with them. As I mentioned before, the music was also something I really enjoyed. It was so different from anything I had heard in the US. And of course, the traveling was incredible. Bristol has an airport that flies directly to 100+ locations. I found myself there almost every weekend, on a plane to somewhere new.

One of the biggest challenges I had to overcome was adjusting to the weather. Living in LA my whole life, I was not used to the constant cold and rain, which took a long time to accept. It often made me feel lonely in the beginning, but once I stopped letting it affect me, I didn’t even care anymore. I was able to have such a great time even with the weather in the way. Another challenge I had to overcome was culture shock! You may think because they speak English in the UK that you won’t have to deal with this, but I was surprised at the extreme differences in some of our language and cultural. After awhile, I started to grasp the humor and language of the UK, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in it.

My advice to anyone going to Bristol is to not take it for granted. Bristol is such a magical place, and once you leave you will immediately miss it. Take advantage of everything that is offered; the music scene, the accessibility to the airport, the shopping, the food (because Bristol actually has really good food), the incredible school and professors, the people, and most importantly: take advantage of your independence. It’s easy to be independent in Bristol, so learn about the city, and try to learn more about yourself as well. Enjoy this incredible city!