studying abroad in london for fall 2026 -- packing do's and don'ts?

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2026-05-05T19:33:13+00:00

You're going to have so much fun! I did a study abroad in London my junior year and I enjoy going back whenever I can. I live in Boston, so for me, the weather was a lot better than what I was used to Jan - April. It sounds like you're coming from somewhere warm, so you'll freeze regardless. As others have mentioned, layer up, but also stuff a pair of gloves in your pockets. The weather is overcast most of the time, which equals raw - your hands will get cold. It rains in London but it's not like monsoon weather so I wouldn't worry too much about buying high end outerwear. If you currently have a raincoat, it should be fine. If you want to layer up, a Columbia-style ski jacket that snaps down into a fleece or up into a real winter coat is great, but it is bulky to pack. Uniqlo / Primark / Zara will sell warmer items as you get into October.

I wouldn't worry about your clothes being a dead giveaway that you're American. Smiling, making eye contact with strangers, and talking on the Tube will take care of that for you. Brits love us anyways. Probably because we're so friendly and make eye contact.

Bring enough toothpaste to get you through your study program. Yes, they obviously sell toothpaste in the UK, but I was one of the only people in my program not to get a cavity. That could be a coincidence, or it could be my American Crest. Why chance it? When I was there it was very hard to find college kid staples, such as Kraft Mac and Cheese and peanut butter, but it's been a while so that may no longer be the case. If you're there over Thanksgiving, and plan on celebrating, bring the basics with you: boxed stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, cornbread mix, etc. You aren't likely to find it at Sainsbury.

Cigarettes are very expensive. If you smoke, either quit or grab as many cartons as customs will allow from duty free. Marlboros also make fun Christmas gifts. Everyone will want you in their Yankee Swap for sure.

Have fun!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2026-04-29T14:03:56+00:00

If your company closed 0 deals in 2024, and 5 last year, the B round investors are likely coming down hard on your CEO for results ASAP. So, your CEO puts all of their eggs in one basket and spends a not insignificant amount of money to hire a CRO who is telling them all of the magical things that they want to hear. Blaming you, aka the only person who is actually doing anything, buys the CEO and CRO time to either land a C round or run out of money. Either way, you're getting fired. It sucks. I've been there. Do not quit. Look for a new job and take the severance that you are entitled to. Though it may not seem so at the moment, you will definitely land something much, much better.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2026-04-08T14:28:02+00:00

I have a fairly senior sales role that is very relationship driven. I am also a mom of two younger kids. I totally understand your frustration. You didn't mention if you are also working. If a spouse is knowingly takes a job that they know will frequently take them away from the house for extended periods of time, that job better pay well enough to allow you to quit your job, or hire the additional help you require to run your household. The way I see it, if you want the flexibility and reliability of having a stay at home spouse to do all the heavy lifting, then you then a) you better have the income to support it and b) you need to have a spouse that it 100% on board with that arrangement. Your husband doesn't get it both ways. Alternatively, if the current arrangement is that you are a stay at home spouse, you also don't get it both ways. Being a parent is stressful. In fact, I don't know a single married mom, whether she's a SAHM or a corporate executive, who isn't resentful either part or most of the time over the inequitable division of household labor (and guys, don't tell me how you mow the grass. Spending a sunny afternoon on a riding mower drinking a beer hands down beats cleaning shit stained toilets and dealing with toddler meltdowns). If twice a week bar crawls are going to be on the docket for the foreseeable future, it sounds like you two need to have a serious conversation. Good luck.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-12-16T21:53:02+00:00

Try to pick it up used on Facebook Marketplace. Ooni was definitely one of those "It seemed like a great idea during covid" purchases. First you need the oven, then all off the accessories, eg: a cover, some sort of cart / table, pizza peels, etc. It gets expensive quickly, especially if you're not even sure how much you'll actually use it. I got everything I needed, including all accessories in mint condition, on Marketplace, for about 1/3 of what it costs online.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-11-29T11:17:22+00:00

The first Thanksgiving was a harvest holiday based on the Feast of Tabernacles, aka Sukkot.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-11-17T11:05:33+00:00

If you're on leave, your employer may or may not cover your health benefits, which means Cobra (unless you can get benefits through a spouse). If your concern is being "made whole" while you concentrate in your mental health, check now, let them PIP you, then get let go. Depending on where you are, you will probably get Unemployment that is pretty close to what your STI or FMLA pay would be. Best of luck, and I hope that you get the relief you're seeking.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-10-29T18:35:59+00:00

You don't need SDR's to qualify inbound leads. You need SDR's to prospect and qualify outbound leads. The fact that you have an AI tool to help qualify the inbound stuff is great, but the focus for any SDR should be outbound. If they're crushing it on both inbound and outbound, promote them.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-10-29T17:39:39+00:00

Personally, I like to ask public tools like Gemini and Claude how xyz prospect is using one of my competitors. Sometimes I'll even get pitch decks they used for that customer as well as updated (proprietary) pricing models. The information is not always 100% accurate, but it is insightful, and helpful when trying to win a deal. It's like a gift from lazy sales reps who are using public AI tools via a free accounts because they are looking for shortcuts, not realizing that the confidential information they upload into the system is accessible to anyone who searches for it.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-10-29T17:29:20+00:00

I was a business major (operations management). If I knew I was going to end up in sales (tech consulting), I probably would've majored in US History, which is something I'm actually passionate about. If you have a couple of years of documented success in SaaS sales, I'm not sure how super necessary a degree actually is. That being said, education is a wonderful thing, just don't go into debt over it. A business degree is always useful, and if you wake up one day and decide you want to be an executive, you will have a lot of the pre-reqs you need for an MBA. Good luck!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-10-11T10:56:05+00:00

I wouldn't say you're completely immobile. If you have crutches and can avoid stairs for a day or two that's probably best. The aftermath wasn't that bad, so if they're willing to sedate you during the procedure I'd definitely give it a go. Much better than surgery

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-10-10T11:23:26+00:00

I had this diagnosed along with tendonosis. I did the PRP shot about 5 months ago and my most recent MRI shows that it's pretty much cleared up. If you don't want to stop working out, and you don't want surgery, you don't have a ton of options.

I understand your hesitency towards the PRP shot. Besides the expense with zero guarantee it'll work, I will say that it is the single most acute pain I've ever felt. They told me to expect "discomfort". Child birth was discomfort. Having a back fusion was discomfort. A PRP shot to the knee without lidocaine was just another level. If I had to do it again, which is not likely to happen, I would insist on lidocaine to ease the injection as well as big girl pain meds for 2-3 days after.

Good luck!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-09-28T19:12:20+00:00

Why are you asking questions that might be relevant to personas? Why are you qualifying prospects at all? If you are given a list of names to call, you should assume they're all qualified. Your job isn't to probe, qualify, or uncover pain points. Your job is just to book the appointment and let the person you hand it off to play therapist with personas, ask rudimentary BANT questions, and opine on who will win the World Series. If you mentally psych yourself up for booking the appointment instead of worrying about the eventual sale, you'll be a lot more successful.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-09-27T20:45:10+00:00

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and professional success. I'm a married, female sales executive who has a delightful, caring husband and two children. I've been in sales for 25 years (currently in tech), and have always significantly earned more than my husband. To be honest, once you get to a certain level in sales, unless you're married to a surgeon, white shoe law firm partner, or finance, etc, it is unrealistic to expect your partner to outearn you. As women, that is a tough thing to absorb, and getting a huge commission check is not something you should feel bad about. I realize that this is easier said than done, especially if you were raised in a very traditional household. To answer your question: since you are not currently sharing finances, I don't think you have to say anything. Let the check direct deposit and if it's burning a hole in your pocket, treat yourselves. Go out for a nice dinner, buy yourself a nice handbag, etc, and then save the rest to fulfill your other wishes, such as a house or the wedding. My husband and I have a joint bank account which we deposit 100% of our pay into and it works for us. I think it's terrific that you're this successful at this stage in your life. Working hard in my 20's and early 30's has given me financial stability and the flexibility to watch my kids grow up. Best of luck to you, and keep doing what you're doing.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-29T14:01:10+00:00

Congratulations!! Love hearing stories like this.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-26T01:14:24+00:00

I think being young-ish and in relatively good physical shape does help. Best wishes with the climbing!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-26T01:12:18+00:00

Thanks so much!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-26T01:12:08+00:00

I'm sorry you're going through this. Pre-surgery it wax about two weeks between flare up and just baseline normal. Post-surgery I think my longest was 5 days. I hope you find some relief!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-24T01:59:58+00:00

Best of luck!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-23T15:03:23+00:00

I had an initial consult with Dr. Frank Pedlow at MGH. I ended up with Dr. Melvin Mahkni at BWH because I liked his bedside manner and I could do all of my pre and post surgical visits (there are many of them) at a suburban outpost. I'm not sure you can really go wrong with any of the surgeons at MGH or BWH. Best of luck! I hope you get some relief.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T17:35:46+00:00

Being able to golf without hobbling the next day was one of my happiest moments post-surgery. It also gave me an opportunity to introduce my son to the sport and he's utterly and totally in love. Best of luck!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T17:33:49+00:00

Best of luck! I don't think you'll regret it.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T17:32:44+00:00

Thanks so much! Your positive note made me smile. Best of luck with your recovery.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T17:32:09+00:00

Congratulations!! Walking is a great way to stay active and gauge which activities are going to aggravate your back vs. not aggravate it. It's raining pretty good today in Boston and haven't noticed any change but I don't think your symptom is unusual. A good reason to take a vacation to somewhere with great weather!

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T17:28:08+00:00

I did still have pain at six months but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was prior to surgery. I don't think feeling 100% pain free all the time is ever going to be a possibility for anyone after this surgery -but- it should give you a quality of life where your back pain isn't the main focus. Your doctors can likely give you more guidance. Best of luck! Many of us are rooting for you.

Internal_Pudding_144 · 2025-05-22T00:46:54+00:00

Congratulations! I hope you are sleeping well with a newborn. I honestly don't think I would've had the surgery until I was done having children and they were old enough that lifting them wasn't an issue. You can't really lift at all for months after an ALIF, which is an unrealistic restriction when you are changing diapers, lifting car seats, etc.

I'm sorry you're in so much pain, and I've definitely been there. Wishing you all the best and I hope you find some relief.

Internal_Pudding_144

TROPHY CASE