Pack Your Umbrella

Devin Bucke, United States

Pack Your Umbrella.

If I could offer you only one tip for visiting Sheffield, England, pack your umbrella would be it.
The long-term benefits of having an umbrella has been proven by countless Englishmen, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the double-decker buses. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the fun of taking the bus or the accomplishment of getting off at the correct stop until after you have left here. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back on your trip to England and recall in a way you can't grasp now how amazing public transportation really was. Your accent will be more interesting to others than you imagine.

Don't worry about seeing all of the sights. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your trip to England are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm when you realize you forgot to pack your electrical adapters.

Eat one thing every day that scares you (e.g. Haggis, Blood Pudding etc.).

Sing British pop tunes.

Don't be reckless with looking both ways before you cross the street (the cars come from different directions…). Don't put up with people who are reckless with looking both ways before crossing the street.

Visit the Peak District.

Don't waste your time counting how many cups of tea you´ve had in one day. Sometimes you'll have 2, sometimes you'll have more. The kettle is always on and, in the end someone will offer to make you a cup of tea.

Remember that British English does not equal American English. Forget language misunderstandings. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your international student ID handy. Throw away all of your Digestive wrappers (the best cookie you will ever eat!).

Stretch before going on a walk (seriously…they are always up hill).

Don't feel guilty if you don't know all of the attractions you want to see when you travel while you are here. The most interesting people I know didn't know where they wanted to go. Some of the most interesting people I have ever met, I met while staying in a hostel.

Get plenty of fish and chips. Be kind to locals. They will give you directions when you are lost.

Maybe you'll frequent the pubs, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll frequent the dance clubs, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll frequent the pubs and the dance clubs.
Whatever you do, take lots of pictures. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else´s.

Enjoy your time in England. Use it in every way you can. Don't be afraid to try new things, and what other people may think of American current events. This will be the greatest time you ever have.

Watch the BBC, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the Lonely Planet guide to England, even if you don't follow it.

Get to know your co-workers. You never know when they'll invite you over for dinner. Be nice to your flat mates. They're your best link to University and the people most likely to make sure you´re on time.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the more you travel, the more you need the people (with spare rooms) who live where you are travelling to.

Visit Bakewell once, but leave before you eat too much at their famous bakeries. Visit Chatsworth once, but leave before you spend too much in the gift shop. Drink tea.

Accept certain inalienable truths. The exchange rate for the dollar is rubbish. You will mentally convert pounds in to dollars whenever you buy anything. You, too, will spend "too much" on everything. And when you do, you'll fantasize that in America the dollar is worth something, you didn´t have to convert anything, prices were reasonable, and a meal at McDonalds didn´t cost $8.

Respect England´s unique culture.

Don't expect anyone else to enjoy your trip for you. Maybe you´ll be homesick. Maybe you'll have culture shock. But in the end your trip will end sooner than you would like it to.

Don't spend too much time on your hair because it will inevitably rain.

Be careful whose study-abroad advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of reliving your past study-abroad experience, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the umbrella.

Devin Bucke, United States

*Adapted from:
Schmich, M. (1997, June 1). Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.
The Chicago Tribune.