Be Not Afraid

Studying abroad has been an amazing experience. To all the students out there: I know you’ve heard a million and one people say this, but it’s really worth it! When I was getting ready to study abroad, I was frustrated with all the preparation I had to do. I just wanted to go! Now as I come to the end of the experience, I know it was all worth it. I’m ready to come home, but I wouldn’t have traded this semester for anything.

I cannot sum up my experience in a short blog post. I did too much: climbing to the very top of Lisbon in Portugal to explore the ruins of an ancient castle, seeing The Phantom of the Opera in London, watching the Eiffel Tower light up at night in Paris and so many more. Overall though, I can honestly say that my favorite things were the people I did all of these things with. Traveling is fun, but traveling with people you’ve grown close to over the months abroad is so much more enjoyable. We always got into (super safe) shenanigans no matter where we went. I might not remember precisely what the Dreaming Spires looked like from Boars Hill, but I’ll never forget writing haikus with Dr. Winn in the pub afterward.

The main lesson I’ve learned over and over while abroad is “be not afraid.” As someone with pretty severe anxiety, that’s been incredibly valuable to me. People always tell you to ‘broaden your horizons’ or ‘get out of your comfort zone’, but they don’t often tell you why. I learned why on study abroad. Once you’ve had to order food at a restaurant in Portuguese when you only speak broken Spanish, ordering at a restaurant in English feels much easier. Planning and paying for a week-long trip with two other people who’ve never done it before and hopping between three countries by yourselves makes you feel like you can do anything. 

Overall, my point is this: study abroad if you can, and travel elsewhere if you can’t. Getting out of your cultural and physical bubble to go to new places and meet new people is one of the best ways to grow. You’ll never know what you’re made of if you never test your limits. If it seems scary, don’t worry. You’ll be under the wing of some much more experienced travelers, but you’ll also be allowed to go on test flights for yourself. Also, it’s so much fun! I’ll treasure the memories I made here and the skills I gained for the rest of my life.

Thanksgiving in the UK

Helm Crag Summit