Studying (and ultimately surviving) at LSE is a rigorous task. Of course, good grades do matter to pursuing a postgraduate degree or working straight away after earning your undergraduate degree. However, studying is not everything. You’re in London! I personally find it useful to take mini-breaks from studying for my mental health, and I’m here to introduce you to my ultimate recommendation for taking a break during Autumn Term Reading Week: the Imperial War Museum.
First of all… Why Reading Week?
I think the most suitable time to take mini-breaks really depends on your coursework schedules. But if you already have a good grasp of the readings and have confirmed the topics and outlines of your formative essays with your class teachers, there’s nothing stopping you from spending a day off during Reading Week exploring London. Plus, remember, no lectures or classes are held during this week so you don’t have to be on campus!
Imperial War Museum in London
As a history student, one of my hobbies is visiting historical museums. While I’ve been to almost every museum in South Korea, where I’m from, I’d never been to one in London until I visited the IWM – my top choice!
I was deeply impressed by the special exhibition on the Holocaust. Although I’d expected the Holocaust to be addressed as part of the Second World War history galleries, the multimedia sources (photographs, videos, written testimonies) helped me to feel connected to this tragedy. As a student interested in transitional justice – a sub-field of international relations that tackles mass human rights violations through political reforms and judicial redress – I gained valuable insights into how human rights violations should be addressed during the early phases of political transitions. I realised that historical perspectives of transitional justice are as important as legal perspectives. This motivated me to question how history should be learned, and how I might be able to contribute to the field as a prospective historian.
By this point, my reflections on this mini-break might sound a bit too academic. However, visiting the IWM was an enlightening experience, given that transitional justice is not something that I studied as part of my first-year courses. I loved how by visiting the IWM I could go beyond my history and international relations curriculum just to pursue my academic interests.
This opportunity make me feel grateful for studying at a university in London.
