England: Luke Williams (Places: Routine and Favorite)

Program: London School of Economics, Academic Year

Routine

This is a pretty basic pick, but one place I end up at nearly every day is the bus stop closest to my dorm. It’s just off a big roundabout (or circus, as some people call them in the UK) and there are a handful of buses that take me straight to campus in a little over 15 minutes. It’s more often than not raining in the mornings, especially this semester, so on my walk to the stop I’m usually dodging puddles the whole way. Except for when I duck through the one pedestrian underpass, when the danger of getting wet is replaced by a damp, sewage-tinged smell. It’s nice, though, overall; I usually don’t have to wait too long, and the wet air smells nice when you’re out in the open.

Favorite

I like it not only because of the view, but because it’s peaceful.  Usually a group of people forms at the top of the hill, reading or sitting on the grass or taking pictures or leaning against a lamppost, catching a breather after an evening run. It’s easy enough to blend in and take a breather yourself; the city is right there on the horizon, but the hustle and bustle is just a little bit further away than usual.