University of Wisconsin–Madison

England: Thompson Blade (Places: Routine and Favorite)

A painting of a lady with long hair in a canoe inside of a golden frame hung on a maroon wall.
The Lady of Shalott, 1888, John William Waterhouse

I have lived in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio for my entire life. It is a charming midsized, midwestern city, but it completely lacks the scale and accessibility that London does. Driving to downtown Cincinnati is a frustrating experience of bad traffic and expensive parking. In contrast, the developed public transit systems of London make it easy to reach any part of the city. It is this quality of London that has introduced a new place into my routine: Euston Underground Station. In appearance, Euston station is unremarkable. As you enter, you are greeted by a massive screen relaying in real time the train schedule. From here, you continue down a never-ending series of escalators, through a turnstile, and down to the platforms. Euston is my key to the city. It connects me to so many incredible places.

One of the places that I can reach from Euston is the Tate Britain, a museum dedicated to British art. I have only been in London for about a week, but of all the places I have visited in that brief time, this is my favorite. Like other museums in the city, the Tate Britain offers free admission (though donation is encouraged), making it the perfect attraction for students. I was drawn to this museum primarily because of their collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings by artists such as Waterhouse and Millais. Their works often display images from historical literature or the Bible but inject timely societal critiques. As I walked around the museum, I was in awe of the art that I had access to in this city. Over the coming months, I intend to explore much more of the art and architecture in Europe.

Thompson stands on rocks in front of a small waterfall and many tall trees.

Thompson Blade

Hometown: Wyoming, Ohio

Major: Economics, Mathematics

Program: London School of Economics

I chose this program because the London School of Economics is one of the preeminent institutions for the studying economics in the world. One personal goal that I have is to get comfortable in a rigorous academic environment in a place that I do not have previous ties to. This is a challenge that I think will help me grow as a person.