At this time two years ago, I was struggling to pack my life into one suitcase, all while keeping it under 50 pounds. But at the same time I was more than ready to say goodbye to my life in the states, and take on the Emerald Isle. Or so I thought I was.
Studying abroad was definitely not what I expected. I always say I fell in love too late, but rather late than never I suppose.
The adjustment took me quite some time. I hated, more than anything, not knowing. I hated walking into a restaurant and being greeted with stares, because as a local pub I should have known whether or not I seat myself. I hated not knowing my campus, not knowing my classmates or my professors. There were so many things I didn’t realize would take adjustment. I mean, I literally couldn’t even get out of my building the first day because I didn’t know you had to push a button to exit every door!
While my semester didn’t start out as glamorous as I had expected, it was an unforgettable 4 and a half months that I wouldn’t trade for anything. And I learned a lot. So to anyone leaving to study abroad this semester (or any time in the future) here’s some advice.
1. Put your phone down.
Now I’m not saying don’t document, because trust me, you’ll look through those photos more often than not. But before you snap a picture, take it all in. When you’re abroad your surroundings are so different, take time to remember them in the moment, not just through your lens.
2. Travel
I’m sure you’ve heard this, as everyone will tell you it’s so much cheaper to travel once you’re abroad, especially if you’re in Europe. And while I encourage you to visit other countries, don’t forget to travel throughout your host country. One of my favorite trips I took while abroad was a day trip to three towns on the coast. All of which were less commercialized and really let us take in the beauty of the island.
3. Drink a lot of coffee
Seriously, go into every coffee shop you get the chance to. Order a cappuccino and a scone. You won’t regret it. What I would give for a European coffee shop.
4. Document
Whether you write in a journal or do an online blog, document your experience. I kept a blog to keep family and friends updated and as I began to write this article I logged back on and couldn’t help but laugh. There were so many things that I had forgot happened, and I’m so grateful to have that to look back at my experience.
5. Embrace the unknown
Be better than I was. Acknowledge that you don’t know everything and you might stick out, it’s okay, I promise it won’t kill you (contrary to what I once thought). Your experience will be so much more enjoyable when you learn to embrace it.