Interested in what Verto life in London is like?! This week, we’re featuring Verto Education Trailblazer Katherine DiPaolo! As a Trailblazer, Katherine will share stories of her fall semester in the United Kingdom. Here’s her warm, adventurous, and exciting description of her first few weeks in London!
*** This is an example of a student’s experience from Fall 2021. Specific programming and activities are subject to change semester by semester.
Student Blog: Welcome to London!
Envision this: a group of eighteen-year-olds touch down at London Heathrow with passports, IDs, and their hopes and dreams in-hand. They’re leaving behind family and friends –– but oh-so-ready to embrace new experiences.
Katherine & her newfound Verto friends in London! Travel buddies = friends for a lifetime.
My name is Katie, and I’m a Trailblazer for Verto Education’s London semester. Much like my classmates, I am also brand-new to the concept of college. College freshmen are notorious for hosting a balance of nervous and excited feelings. Now factor in moving to a whole new country, riddled with new sights and new foods, new people, and new challenges to navigate. I am not too proud to declare that this group of young freshmen are extremely brave –– perhaps braver than their counterparts back home, for they have made the honorable decision to spend their first semester of college abroad.
London is the perfect landscape for students to explore, connect with each other, and learn about the city’s rich history!
In the weeks leading up to my departure for London, I bought sweaters and boots as I anticipated chilly weather. I also packed notebooks and pens for my five new classes. I was sad to leave my family, but elated for the chance to meet new people and study new subjects. Upon arrival, I met my roommates: one from Kentucky, the other from North Carolina. Each is as sweet as she is intelligent and fun.
Shared meals are one of many ways that students bond with one another!
Last night, we sampled the best pasta and marinara sauce from an Italian restaurant on High Street called Terra Rossa. It was about a twenty-minute walk from Ability Towers. I’m so grateful to have spent the night talking and laughing over a candlelit dinner for eight, all the while embracing our similarities and differences. Furthermore, I’ve already located the absolute best spot to study or just to grab a coffee in between classes. Knockbox Coffee stands at the front of Lamb’s Conduit Street, an adorable little street with shops just around the corner from our learning center at Verto: Richbell House.
As the days continue to fly by during the fall semester, I am confident that I will continue to learn all types of new things, and engage with all new types of people.
Interested in learning about how you can start college like Katie?! Read all about our semester offerings and check out our admissions process! Don’t forget to stay tuned for next week’s blog post –– We can’t wait to share more stories like Katie’s!
