“Forever isn’t for everyone, is forever for you? It sounds like settling down or giving up but it don’t sound much like you girl.”
Hi collegiettes, nice to “see” you again! Some of you might remember me from last year’s Blog section, but for those who haven’t met me yet, let me start off with a brief introduction. I am Ludovica, third-year Journalism student, originally from Italy and in a passionate relationship with food. During my second year I decided to take part to City’s International Exchange Program, so I said a temporary goodbye to my second home, London, to pack all my life, take a 8-hour flight and move to Boston.
You might be wondering why that quote (for those who don’t know, it’s from Arctic Monkeys’ Snap Out Of It, go check it out now!!!) at the beginning of this article. Well, a lot of people asked me why I chose to extend my degree and postpone my graduation party, and this is the best answer I could find: I was not made to settle down. I love traveling, exploring new places, collecting memories and learning all I can about new cultures. I am a curious person.
However, I also like sharing stories so while I’m here I will entertain you – my lovely readers – with all the discoveries and the adventures I am going through. I’ll lead you through the best corners of Boston, right as if you were here with me!
As for this first article, I’d like to reveal you the thing that has shocked me the most since I moved here. As Londoners all know, life in the city might be tough sometimes. Everyone has those awful days when everything seems to be going wrong and craves for a bit of comprehension. In those days, even a smile from a stranger or a friendly “Hi, what’s up?” might make your day. But Londoners are mostly self-centred, they have their own life. This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just one of the characteristics of the city. And sometimes you are even glad as there are those days when you don’t want to talk to anyone, you don’t want to pretend a fake smile and you are just happy to be ignored.
However, I must say that the greatest difference that I’ve noticed so far is right in the people. Here everyone is friendly, everyone has always a compliment for you and you never feel ignored. And trust me, even something stupid like “I love your glasses!” makes you start off your day in a better mood. And this is what has helped me the most to overcome the main difficulty that every student has when is far from home, family and friends: nostalgia. I am not ashamed to say that I am a very nostalgic person but I can certainly say that in this month I have never felt homesick. It might be because I am surrounded by people 24/7 so that I don’t even have the time to think about it, but it’s sure as hell that it isn’t the city in itself but the people who live there to make a place special.
Boston has nothing to do with London. It is a nice city with some lovely spots, like the Christian Science Centre or the Boston Common, but it doesn’t have the charm and the appeal of the British capital. London is unique and everyone who lives there must feel really lucky to experience the life of one of the best European cities.
Despite this, let me give you a piece of advice: don’t shut the door to other possibilities. Don’t ever think that you are done, not even for a minute. Be glad for what you have but be curious and embrace new adventures. Trust me, you never know what’s waiting for you when you step out of your comfort zone.