A Year Later : Looking Back on My Life Abroad in London

It’s almost a year since I returned to Malaysia, and looking back, studying in London still feels like a dream. Everything happened so quickly, I sometimes can’t believe that the person I was a year ago actually went through it all alone.

Image 1: Me with Arkigaleri Varsity Jacket in front of my University

As the youngest daughter at home, and the first in my family to boldly say, “I want to study abroad,” the journey started with me sitting in front of my laptop, endlessly searching for universities in the UK. I had a clear dream, to pursue a Master’s in Interior & Spatial Design and specialize in creating art installations, spaces that could tell stories and shape experiences. That’s when I stumbled upon the University of the Arts London (UAL), one of the top art schools in the world. It had exactly what I was looking for. I took a leap and applied.

After rounds of interviews and lots of waiting, I got accepted. At the time, I was working, but I knew deep down that I wanted more, something creative, meaningful, and different. Getting that offer was one of the happiest moments of my life. I could already picture myself walking the streets of London as a master's student.

Then, just like that. I was in London.

Image 2: First time seeing Tower Bridge

The first week was… hard. London looked just like the movies, beautiful, historic, grand. But the warmth of home? Gone. The smell of Malaysian food? Now a distant memory. The familiar sound of the ceiling fan back home? Replaced by silence. I missed home more than I expected.

But slowly, things changed. I joined clubs, made friends, and began connecting with my coursemates. Surprisingly, there weren’t many Malaysians at UAL, just a handful but that made it even more exciting to meet people from all around the world: South Africa, Denmark, the US, Netherlands, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Romania, and so many more.

Image 3: Made some friends from a social event

One of my favourite parts of studying at UAL was the pin-up sessions. That’s where I learned the most, not just from my tutors, but from my peers. Everyone came from such diverse backgrounds, furniture design, film, architecture, landscape design, service design etc. It was amazing to see how each person viewed design through their own lens. Discussions were rich, perspectives were eye-opening, and I found myself constantly inspired.

Image 4 & 5: First Pin-Up & Crit session

Image 6: Show & Tell ( Open room presentation )

I also got to explore technologies I never had access to before such as volumetric scanning, LiDAR, and more. These tools aren’t widely used back home, and learning them gave me a glimpse into the future of design. I hope one day to bring these techniques back to Malaysia and inspire others too.

Image 7 & 8: Trying out Volumetric scanning in progress and I managed to got myself scanned. Fun fact: This is how Enscape create their Human Assets

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with some friends from the MA Illustration course for an exhibition we curated together. We transformed the space into a storytelling tent, a cozy, intimate installation where stories lived and breathed. We invited locals to share personal stories and contribute meaningful objects that held special memories. These objects, paired with their stories, were displayed in a way that allowed visitors to step into a world of different lives, memories, and emotions. It was a safe space, one where people could pause, reflect, and connect with the beauty of human experience. Curating and building this installation reminded me of why I love what I do, and I truly hope to host and create more storytelling spaces like this in the near future.

Image 9-12: The journey of my installation exhibition from start to end

I was also invited to exhibit my work at a South East Asian Artist & Designer exhibition in London where I exhibited my 3 meter long curated drawing from my undergraduate final exhibition.

Image 13 & 14: Me and my undergraduate work in London and people having discussions about it

Beyond school, I embraced every bit of Europe I could. Studying in the UK meant I had access to museums, galleries, and exhibitions I had only ever seen online like on Pinterest, Behance, or ArchDaily. Seeing those works in real life, being steps away from artists and architects I admire… it felt surreal.

Image 16: Seeing the iconic Do Ho Suh’s work in real life

Image 15: Went for a Space Popular Forum ( one of my favourite Architects to Artist duo )

Image 17: Being one of the first to see the newly opened V&A Storehouse & all the archives

Image 18: Seeing Ernesto Neto’s work (His work was always on my Pinterest)

I travelled every chance I got: Oxford, Cambridge, Canterbury, Whitstable, the Cotswolds, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and I’m not done yet. Every trip, every exhibition, every conversation added a layer to who I am today.

Image 19: Canterbury, Kent

Image 20: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Image 21: Amsterdam, Netherlands

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Chase your dreams, even if they scare you. Don’t settle for what’s familiar, try new things, meet new people, keep learning.

And above all, dare to be different.

Someday, I hope to create spaces that tell stories, not just spaces that look nice, but spaces that feel alive, that connect with people. Because stories deserve to be felt, not just told.

Stay creative,

Jessie

Image 22: Paris, France

Image 23: Witnessed the first snow in 2025, miracles do happen