Do It While You're Young

It’s true. Studying abroad is everything people chalk it up to be: an amazing learning experience. During my summer spent in Granada, Spain I definitely learned some really valuable lessons. Like, for example, plugging your nose while you eat gross food that the cook of your residencia proudly made for you really does help take the taste away. And, while walking a bunch will make your calves look super awesome, you will probably end up with a pretty prominent and slightly inconvenient shorts tan. See? Really important stuff, right? As you can tell, there are so many amazing things to gain during a time spent abroad and in all seriousness they go way beyond yucky meals and awkward tan lines. The planning, gazillion questions, and even more thoughts and fears swirling through your head at all times can get pretty overwhelming though.

Enter, Do It While You’re Young: A Girl’s Guide to Travel, Studying, Working, and Volunteering Abroad (diwyy.com). Started by two women, Kristina Wegscheider and Jerri Stephenson, who met while studying abroad in 2002, the site is an incredible resource for planning to go abroad. Catered especially to women between the ages of 18 and 35, the writing and content are genuine and relatable. You should totally peruse the compiled list of travel resources or search for the exact location you are going. Or, view their presentation on financing your trip (trust me, your parents will love this one) and check out their reader-submitted photos of the week. Whatever your reason-- curiosity, research, questions-- visit the website. It is an absolute must read for future travelers. So, go take a look! Do it!