What happens when best friends and history majors study abroad in London for a semester?
A LOT!
Gianna Rosa (RU ‘25) History major, Philosophy minor
Melissa Marvinny, (RU ‘25), History major
Melissa and Gianna
How and when did you first get to know each other at Rutgers?
We met each other in our Honors College Forum class and bonded over our shared interest in History in a History class (Ancient and Medieval Europe, 510:101) during our Freshman year.
Melissa’s favorite courses in London:
In “Historic London” every Wednesday we visit a historic site or landmark and learn of its significance. We have been to the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and many other places. I am also taking a course which focuses on the sociological side of London and one on the 20th-century history of Europe.
My most interesting course is a business / history class on football (soccer) where we learn about the sport’s cultural importance and how it correlates with history while also touring different stadiums like the Emirates. One cool thing we focused on was the way in which the 1982 Falklands War impacted the 1986 World Cup Quarterfinal match between Argentina and England.
Gianna’s favorite course in London:
I am taking “The Making of Modern South Asia,” “Historic London,” “The American Century 1945-Present,” and “Popular Music in Britain”. My favorite class is definitely “Popular Music in Britain” because it incorporates music history with political and sociological ideas that I find super interesting. I have learned a lot about English pop-culture through the lens of musical eras. I am also able to write a final essay based on any topic of my choosing which gives me a lot of creative freedom.
Melissa’s favorite experience so far:
One of my favorite experiences here was going to a park with all of the friends we made here and playing football / soccer together and then grabbing a Sunday roast. A Sunday roast is a British staple where you traditionally have meat, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, and vegetables. And a pint of Guinness... It was such a simple yet fun day doing normal British things and we spent it with people we have become so close with in these past few months.
Another thing that I love here is how walkable it is and the views you have while doing it. From where we live there are clear views of St. Paul’s Cathedral and it is so beautiful to see just simply on the way home, especially lit up at night.
Gianna’s favorite experience so far:
A peak experience for me was taking a day trip to Dover with my friends. We hiked the White Cliffs of Dover and also explored Dover Castle. I really loved learning about the history of the castle (built in the 11th century and claimed to be Britain’s oldest standing building) and also enjoyed the beautiful views from the top of the cliffs.
Melissa, Gianna, and friends enjoy travelling in Europe.
What has surprised you the most about studying abroad and/or living in London?
Gianna: One thing that has surprised me the most was how easy it is to get around the UK compared to the US. The lack of car dependency and efficiency of railroad systems is very different from the US and quite convenient. It also surprised me that I felt almost no culture shock. I feel like sometimes–especially on the internet– British culture and American culture can be portrayed as very different, but I did not find it difficult to adjust to at all. Especially compared to other European countries I have travelled to such as Hungary, Spain, and Greece where the culture feels very different from what I’m used to.
Melissa: So far, studying abroad in London has allowed me to travel very easily and see all new parts of the world. While London might not culturally be that different from the U.S., I have been lucky enough to be able to go to different places and experience their lives there such as Budapest, Cologne, Athens and a few Greek islands, Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin, Edinburgh, and different cities in Italy and Portugal. To explore different historical sites that I have been learning about throughout my education is so cool, especially in Athens since one of my favorite things to study is Ancient Greece and Rome. We have also been all around England to cities like Dover, Bath, Oxford, Cam-bridge, Canterbury, etc..
What is the most touristy thing you’ve done in London so far?
Gianna: The most touristy thing I have done besides the more obvious answers (Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace) is get chocolate covered strawberries at Borough Market. These strawberries were all over social media and also somewhat overpriced, but they were really delicious and I would recommend them to anyone who visits London!
Photos above: Melissa, Gianna, and friends enjoy travelling in Europe.
Photo: Melissa and Gianna enjoy the Kensington neighborhood in London.
Photos provided by Melissa and Gianna.
