I moved to London from the Midwest without knowing a single person. Here are 4 things I wish I'd known as an American in the UK.

• Elizabeth Wood had no idea what to expect from life in London when she moved there from Ohio.
• Over time, she's learned to love the people, places, and sense of humor.

After COVID-19 robbed me of a college graduation ceremony, I spent the second half of 2020 panic-applying for jobs.

After hundreds of applications, hundreds of rejections, and plenty of ghosting, I finally landed a job providing digital resources for people with addiction and alcoholism.

I had applied to study for a master's degree in philosophy and public policy at the London School of Economics.

The cohort was full. But with no additional charge and nothing to lose, I applied for the next admission cycle. To my surprise, I found out in January 2021 I'd been accepted.

Goodbye, Ohio! Seven months later, I moved into a little apartment in East London. It was my second time in London, after a one-week vacation in March 2020 that got cut short by a lockdown. When I moved here, I knew no one. Nearly two years later, I feel at home.

Here are four things I wish I'd known when I arrived in London as an American.

1. Sharing a language doesn't mean we share much else

This may sound silly, but the biggest shock of moving to London from America was that I didn't understand a lot of what people were saying.

I didn't necessarily move to England for the ease of language, but I assumed it would help. I felt like I could read street signs, get directions, and order food — all pretty simple. Cue slang terms I'd never heard, such as peng (attractive), faff (excessive work), and chuffed (pleased).

The language barrier is real. I've had to ask people to repeat themselves or define a word. They might look at you like an alien or, in one case, reply, "I am speaking English you know." But more often than not, they think it's funny and are happy to explain.

Always ask what someone means, whether at work or in social situations, because pretending you understand and then realizing halfway through that you have no idea what's happening is far worse than momentary embarrassment.

2. Sarcasm is a love language here

When you grow up with slapstick comedy like that of Will Ferrell, the nuanced wit from our British counterparts is confusing. Sarcasm took me months to understand.

The dry sense of humor doesn't mean people are unfriendly (some might be) or judging you (which they might be); it's probably just their way of joking. I learned that the more a Brit teases you, the closer you are. Sarcasm is a love language in London.

A classic case of sarcasm is that it could be pouring down rain and inevitably someone will say, "Lovely day we're having." Better yet, if you do something utterly predictable, a friend might say, "Shock, what a surprise."

When I first moved here, sarcasm went right over my head. I couldn't figure out whether someone was upset with me, angry, or making fun of me. It turns out they're just joking.

My best advice is to just go with it. Eventually, I just got it. It might have taken a good year of adjusting, but now when I go home, I have to switch it off just so that I can keep the friends I've had for years.

3. Don't say yes to everything forever

London is a massive city. Every neighborhood, from Notting Hill to Shoreditch, offers different experiences. There's no shortage of things to do, which is both amazing and, for an introvert like me, overwhelming.

Being an introvert doesn't mean I'm shy. I love meeting people and making friends. It just means I choose how to put my energy into social situations.

In my first year in London, I was the biggest yes-girl in the world. Whether it was visiting galleries, walking in one of the many parks, or going to a concert of an artist I didn't even know, saying yes helped me explore the city and nurture friendships.

But as an introvert, I recharge alone. So while saying yes to adventures with friends in London is important, saying yes to solo adventures in the city helped me recharge and refresh.

To get over my yes-girl phase, I started nurturing my adult hobbies and connecting with things that gave me a sense of peace. I started piano lessons, which I found to be particularly helpful in recharging.

4. Bringing traditions from home helps fight homesickness

Homesickness for me is very real. I'm 4,000 miles and an eight-hour flight (and that's without a layover) from home, but the girls I've lived with since moving to London give new meaning to the phrase "friends who become family."

I found my roommates, two Brits and a Spaniard, through a UK room-sharing service called SpareRoom. None of us are from London. After meeting on FaceTime and without seeing the apartment in person, we signed leases and moved in on blind faith.

It wasn't easy seeing friends and family reunions on social media. It can get lonely, but the good news is a lot of people living in London aren't from London. We're all going through very similar experiences.

I've learned that sharing fun home traditions like Friendsgiving or the Fourth of July reduces homesickness, while allowing me to share in traditions I love with new people.