"We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language."

Thus, it begins.

The "most incredible experience of your life," "the chance to grow and learn more about yourself than ever before," "the time to see new things and meet new people" is here. Get Ready...

This one giant leap across the pond will be one of the first steps that I have completely taken on my own. I love UNC with all of my heart (Tar Heel girl born and bred!) but I have always wondered what college would have been like if I had gone into a place without knowing a single soul.

Terrifying? Perhaps, but I choose to look at this as the ultimate opportunity to push myself into discovering as much as I can about myself, my goals, and how I want to live my life. Deep? Get Set...

I will be spending the next 4 fabulous months in Sheffield, England: a city with an industrial history in steel production and a very green future with some of the most expansive botanical gardens in the UK. I will be continuing to study journalism and social policy at the University of Sheffield, my new home away from home.

Sheffield offers an incredible experience for undergraduate students: it is a leading research institution; the university's student union is top-notch in offering students activities, excursions, opportunities to volunteer, and an exciting nightlife; and the city is home to two football clubs.

But more than anything, I cannot wait to travel. I want to explore and experience England to the fullest extent: see, smell, touch, and taste the country from the sprawling metropolises to the rolling countryside. I want to know that I took every opportunity to immerse myself in this amazingly rich culture right outside my door.

Get Ready, Get Set, GO!

Ta-ta for now, mates. And Blimey, don't you lot forget: God save the Queen!

Katy