NYAC | 3min Read
Published on May 7, 2026
A New Start
A New Start
I tuck my dark, straight hair behind my ear as I slowly walk towards the exit of the Heathrow airport,
lost in my thoughts while muttering,
“How different.” at everything. As a child, I always wondered
how one managed to live across the ocean in another country, just for higher studies? I found it quite
stupid. Yet, here I am eleven years later, living the same question I was never answered. Three years
ago, I set a goal. A goal for my future-self that I would never back down from achieving, no matter
how long it took.
Lost in the crowd, I somehow managed to finally get a taxi to the train station and hopped on.
“It’
s
already dark…”, I whispered to myself. Figuring the timings and fares of the trains was not a piece of
cake. After a few difficult minutes of chaos, at last I spotted an empty window seat in the train and sat
in. I plugged my earphones and stared out of the window. As I’ve grown up, I’ve noticed that I think a
lot. Being a quiet person, I found comfort in it. Currently, I feel like I don’t belong in this country. I
came to London to pursue research in Neuroscience and Psychology. At first, it seemed like a long
shot. But three years ago, something changed.
I started to yearn for knowledge. I really enjoyed writing research papers, essays and novels. Biology,
Psychology and English were clearly my forte. “Ambitious people change the world”, reminded my
mother every time I was demotivated. My passion for Psychology grew when I read Thomas
Erikson’s books. His observations of people fascinated me. I was equally intrigued by Biology, so
Neuroscience took the win. Ever since, I devoted my free time to find the best opportunities.
Who would have known that three years later, I would be recalling that moment while making my
way towards the campus of the best university in England? This experience is new to me, but I believe
I’ll embrace it soon enough. I’ve always been an explorer, planning to embark on new journeys.
As I saw the warm, yellow streetlights, I knew I was in London. Something about visiting new places
interests me. I’ve always wanted to leave my own country and go somewhere fresh. The thought of
being independent and enhancing my skills to the fullest excited me.
“There’s always room for
improvement”, said my father. I agreed. I glanced out of my window, and saw an elderly couple on the
street. They were entangled in each other, eyes full of love. I only saw them for a split-second, but my
heart felt intense, comfortable.
On seeing that couple, a thought arose. “Today onwards, I am beginning something new in my life.” A
slightly homesick feeling hit my guts. Was I really homesick? Amidst trying to understand my
emotions, A voice heightened, “We’ve reached the station.” I hurriedly gathered my belongings and
found a taxi and sat in the backseat. About 15 minutes later, the driver turned around. He looked at me
with sheer disinterest and said, “We’ve reached. It’ll be 4 pounds and 75 cents.” I gazed out of my
window.
To my surprise, I saw my dream university in front of me. Those huge but welcoming gates, campus
lights twinkling, senior students studying on the freshly-mown lawn. I grinned; I laughed. The driver
thought I was crazy. Even I thought I was crazy! I couldn’t believe how far I’d come. Day and night
of searching for the perfect university, courses provided, scholarships needed and analyzing the
climate to see if I could survive, it’s all worth it.
