A love letter to Reading
Ten months ago, I made the decision to come to the University of Reading for a semester abroad. I expected to meet new people, experience a new culture, and discover what it feels like to live away from home for a longer period of time. What I didn’t expect was that I would find a new home here in Reading.
From the moment I set foot on campus, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. On my first day, I took a long walk around the lake. A walk that quickly became an almost daily tradition. The campus is beautiful. There is so much to see, and it has everything you need. The Co-op is perfect for essentials, the library is ideal for long study sessions, every Thursday there’s a food market with fresh fruit and vegetables, and SportsPark is extremely well equipped (or so I’ve heard!). There is also a wide variety of sports clubs and societies, which really adds to the sense of community, I recommend you join one!
Reading itself is a wonderful town too. I’ve had some of the best food of my life at Pho, and the Oracle has a great range of shops. The location of Reading also offers plenty of travel opportunities. It is a half-hour train ride from both London and Oxford, two amazing cities that I visited multiple times while living here. The Study Abroad Office also organised several trips, which made it possible for me to visit Cambridge and Cardiff. Overall, a semester abroad at the University of Reading offers everything you could want and need.
I want to thank every single person I’ve met over the last three months who helped make my experience here so memorable. Thank you to the Study Abroad Office team for your warmth, your constant helpfulness, and for making everyone feel welcome. And of course, thank you to the Students’ Union for making every Wednesday something to look forward to. The legendary Wednesday Union nights are something every student should experience at least once. Oh, and thank you to whoever invented the Snakebite!
Finally, I want to dedicate this love letter to my flatmates, who became my friends and my family. I’ve spent some of the best months of my life with you, going on adventures around the UK and sharing late-night conversations in the kitchen. I will miss all of you so much and look forward to staying in touch and visiting each other all over the world.
So, if you are reading this letter and are still in doubt about whether you should do a semester abroad, this is your sign: come to Reading!
