You just had the most incredible experience of your life exploring a foreign country and immersing yourself in a new culture. You saw the sights, consumed the food, met the locals and took the pictures. But now you find yourself back in reality, back to school. You remember loving school and always being excited to return after a long winter break away from your friends but suddenly it’s not as easy adjusting back to life in the United States. It may seem difficult to see yourself having as much fun as you did back in the good old days abroad, but there are plenty of ways to handle the back to school blues.
1. Apply what you loved about the foreign experience to your every day life
Did you pick up a new cooking technique at your home stay? Did you bring home a new trend from another city? Maybe you became fluent in another language. Take those valuable things that you gained from being abroad and use them when you come back to school. You may become the next trendsetter on campus or the designated apartment chef!
2. Keep in Touch
One of the best things you gained from your study abroad program is the valuable friendships. Whether you were all in the same major before or from schools all over the country, only these people will ever totally understand when you have nostalgic flashbacks. These friends will never get annoyed when you randomly start reminiscing about your foreign escapades and will always be happy to plan a reunion. Preferably back in your study abroad country.
3. Surround yourself with good memories
Decorate your room or some aspect of your life with a souvenier or two that remind you of your time abroad. Even just printing out the incredible and artsy pictures you took will help keep the feeling of being abroad fresh.
4. Find your next adventure
Studying abroad was only the beginning for you. There is a world out there to experience and you can start right on campus. You can make your life just as exciting as it was abroad by applying for new internships, trying new restaurants or just spending time with your amazing college friends who had been anxiously awaiting your return home.