As cliché as it sounds, being abroad for the entirety of a semester has taught me so much about myself and the way I view the world. In my pre-college years, I was already prepping myself to find a school that specifically had a study abroad program. As sad as it is, whenever https://www.collegeboard.org/would ask me what “campus academic options” were a necessity, you could bet that box next to “Study Abroad” would be the first one checked off. Before this opportunity became a reality, all I knew was that my study abroad experience would be an experience like no other, and I could not have been more right. There is so much to learn just in the experience of college alone, but being abroad for an eighth of my college experience has already improved the person I am and will be when I return stateside after my semester in Italy comes to a close. The past three months have been some of the most fun, challenging and best months of my young life, and I would recommend this experience to anyone. Here are six important life lessons that only studying abroad could have taught me:
1. To pay more attention to the things that fascinate me.
Sure, this seems like common sense to most people because we pay attention to the things we like. Having lived your whole life in the same environment that you grew up in means you’re naturally a bit accustomed to your particular way of life, and that involves everything that you already know you like. I would know because that is exactly what I realized when coming to a country without so many foods and luxuries that I was accustomed to, *cough cough Starbucks.* But all basic white girl habits aside, I’ve learned that you can’t really know what fascinates you and sparks your interest until you broaden your horizons and get out into the world. Traveling to different countries and cities almost every weekend while studying abroad teaches you to pay more attention to what you like and what catches your eye. I’m fascinated by seeing how other people live in environments so different from the one I have been born and raised in America for the past 19 years of my life. Everywhere I go brings about a new fascination. Traveling and seeing the difference between many countries, cities and towns opened my eyes to how interested I am in just seeing small towns outside the hustle of the big cities in each country, studying the foods each place is famous for (studying aka eating), and of course visiting the touristy/historical spots because pictures don’t do them ANY justice.
Your face when accidentally strolling by the Trevi Fountain.
2. You learn to appreciate all that your parents do for you behind the scenes.
Being abroad teaches you a lot about yourself and a lot of fascinating things about the places that you are traveling to, but it also teaches you to recognize the things that you simply don’t approve of or enjoy in your life. Being away from home and having to readjust to the lifestyle and culture shock is hard, but it teaches you about independence. Yes, we are all independent in that we are old enough to make our own choices, make our own money, set (and mess up) our own sleep schedules, all of that. However, when it comes to bill paying, planning trips and transportation, insurance, and all the nitty gritty details that come along in everyday life, most of us young adults usually have a support system helping us along the way at home. Coming abroad I knew I would have to be in charge of myself and be responsible for things such as bills and expenses, cleaning and cooking, booking and coordinating trips on my own– all the things that I never gave my parents enough recognition for helping me with before coming abroad. I was raised to be self-sufficient and to know enough to take care of myself in the real world and, for that, I am so extremely grateful. Balancing and prioritizing all of those tasks and more is a chore and a half, and I have never appreciated and admired my parents and all their hard work as much as I do after having to experience and balance it all on my own for three months.
Your parents are due for more hugs than they could ever want when you finally get back home.
3. To regularly do things out of your comfort zone and/or things you wouldn’t normally do.
Whether you’re doing it for the adrenaline rush or for the Instagram, it is always good to experience new things. Like I said earlier, you get so accustomed to a normal routine life at home that maybe you’re not itching to try something new because you feel like you’ve done it all. But you haven’t done it all. There is so much to see and do and I’m sure there is something on your bucket list just waiting to be crossed off. I took a journey to Switzerland during this semester and it was an amazing experience. I was missing fall and the colored trees at home, so I decided to go for a nice little stroll through the colorful hill/mountainsides. By “stroll,” I mean I took a little stroll off a mountain while attached to a wind-wing and hang-gliding harness. I went hang-gliding, something I have always wanted to do, but was also always a little nervous about. I soared above the trees and lakes and through the mountains of Switzerland. I saw breathtaking views that could never be duplicated and that’s when I knew that, in order to have an amazing experience, you can’t always stick to what you’re used to. So maybe there is something you have always wanted to try but you were always afraid of what other people might say. Maybe there is something you want to do but you’re too scared to try. But maybe, just MAYBE, whatever it is, is worth the risk.
Tell me who could pass up a view like this? Take me back to Interlaken.
4. To live in the present.
This is important. You can learn this anywhere because a number of experiences can spark this life lesson, but studying abroad just helps you come to this realization so much quicker. You are thrown into this experience after counting down the days until your departure, and that day comes so quickly. Even though the experience may come way faster than you would’ve thought, your months abroad go by even faster. So trust me when I say that you will have FOMO about missing things at home, but FOMO is not worth your time. I missed my friends at school and my family, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve realized there is no point in worrying about the past or too far in the future right now, things are happening right now and you’re going to miss out if you don’t appreciate every minute.
Ted Mosby just gets it.
5. Put. Down. The. Cell. Phone.
You spend so much time being apart from your cell phone while abroad, and thank God for that. Sure, you may search wherever you can for Wi-Fi but honestly, after a certain point, you realize it isn’t worth it. You become so immersed in actual life here that you realize it’s stupid to walk around with your eyes glued to the phone all the time. Just last week I saw a person for the first time since I’ve been in Europe walking and looking at their phone simultaneously, yes the FIRST person yet in my three months abroad. No one does that here (unless you’re a tourist). You realize after being so detached from your phone how little you actually need it to survive everyday life… it turns out you don’t need it to live (who knew?). So, with that, I’m suggesting that you put down the phone every once in a while and try to have a face-to-face conversation or even look around at your surroundings because you never know what you’re missing and Twitter can wait.
If T Swift can do it, so can you.
6. To care about getting to know myself better.
I came abroad by myself. Sure, I knew a few of the other kids who would be coming to the same school as me, but I came abroad for my own personal growth and experiences. If I had said that three months ago, I probably would’ve thought that sounded a little harsh and maybe like it was too “all about me.” But now that my semester abroad is coming to an end, I can say I’m happy that I’m thinking “all about me.” I don’t mean the world or anything in particular revolves around me by any means, but what I am saying is, so what if I am my main priority? Why shouldn’t I be? I have been forced to spend a lot of time with myself and my own thoughts on this adventure, and I have to say that I’m okay with that. I have gotten used to voicing my opinion more and I have gotten used to my own likes/dislikes. I have definitely learned a lot about my adaptability because this trip has been nothing but going with the flow and adapting to every up and every down on this roller coaster adventure. I have learned to navigate new and tough situations on my own, especially being in a foreign country and facing things that I may not be used to dealing with at home. Eventually, everyone gets to know him/herself better, but being abroad and doing something solely for you and all alone makes it easier and more exciting to learn along the way. Ultimately, I have learned to care about getting to know me better: understanding what makes me tick and learning about what I am interested or not interested in– it is all important in the grand scheme of who I am as an individual. If you have a chance to go abroad, do it. Go and explore solely for you and your curiosity. Do it to learn more about you. Do it to enrich your knowledge and your experience. Do it for you and no one else.
The real Queen B has spoken.
Have questions about studying abroad? Email Julie at maurielloj@mail.sacredheart.edu!