A month and a half removed, I still get emotional thinking about my study abroad experience over the summer. Maybe I always will; who knows? I hope that if anyone is looking for a sign to apply, do it!
It is cheesy to say 2025 was the best summer of my life, but it’s true. Ten weeks in Dublin, Ireland, opened a different side of me that I never knew existed. I feel more confident, sure of myself and excited for the future that awaits me after college.
Everyone’s Favorite Side Quests: Weekend Trips
I cannot emphasize this enough: Plan your trips strategically! If there are two cities you want to visit that are a realistic train ride away, plan to hit both on the same weekend.
I was able to see Munich, Germany, Salzburg, Austria and Vienna, Austria, on the same weekend. Flights from Dublin to Munich were cheaper than to Salzburg, so my friends and I flew to Germany. We then booked an early train from Munich to Salzburg, and a late train that same day to Vienna, totaling three cities in 48 hours. It was exhausting, but it’s all a part of the experience — embrace it!
I had a half-day of work on Fridays, so many of my flights were on Friday nights, and I always scheduled the latest possible flights back to Ireland on Sunday evenings to maximize my time at my destinations. Granted, almost all of my late flights got delayed, so there were multiple late nights — but it was SO worth it!
Also, do not be fooled, Ryanair is not as cheap as the internet tells you. If you’re flying during the week, yes, there are often good deals, and the same goes if you’re flying within continental Europe. However, my experience proved to be more expensive as Ireland and the UK are islands off the West coast of continental Europe. In Europe’s mainland, trains will be your best friend. I found Apple Maps to be extremely helpful in directing me to the correct trains, especially when the information at the train station is in German.
Embrace Where You are Staying
I chose my study-abroad program specifically because it was in Ireland, but if you’re less inclined to choose a specific place, I would still try to embrace where you’re living!
Ireland is a country with much national pride because of their historical hardships, so I made it a point to go to as many museums as possible, interact with locals and take the time to learn about the country’s history.
I maintained an active Duolingo streak the entire time I was in Ireland, which I think helped me to embrace the country even more. Irish being the national language alongside English, every airport and street sign was written in both. By the end of the program, I was not even looking at the English translation.
Whether you pick a program because of the destination or for another reason, I also implore you to do your research! TikTok helped me find so many niche and local cafes, restaurants, parks and more. Follow small creators or travel influencers that frequent your destination — they will have all the local secrets you likely won’t find on travel blogs.
Many small businesses in Ireland do not offer WiFi, because they want a continuous rotation of customers; however, Starbucks always has your back. My method of caffeine — yes, it’s that serious — was to get a latte at a local cafe if I was on the go. If I wanted to lock in and get work done, I would take advantage of Starbucks’ internet, get a tall iced green tea and lock in for hours. I knew in my accommodation that I could not last two months on instant coffee.
Friendships
Rather than doing an exchange program, I decided to do a program through the University of Florida, or UF, because that way, everyone in my cohort was from the same school. Overall, being grouped with other UF students meant we all understood each other’s origins, and thus it was easier to adjust to being in a foreign place.
I found my UF cohort especially comforting when I started to get homesick, which will happen, and it’s easier to just let it run its course. I didn’t know anyone personally before I started the program, so I met new people and branched out of my comfort zone; however, understanding each other’s school backgrounds because of our shared experiences made adjusting to a social life abroad much easier.
I was able to travel the world with my new friends. The European weekend trips are most suited for no more than four people at once, which made accommodations easier and ensured that everyone got to do what they wanted. Typically, there comes a point when there are too many people wanting to do different activities, so a smaller group to travel with is the smartest way to go, in my experience.
As the program wound down, I had a hard time accepting that the experience would become a memory. What made the transition easier was knowing that I was going to go back to Gainesville with tons of new friends who understood my nostalgic feelings.
I now have classes with friends from my cohort, and catching up with them is a very bright part of my week. That being said, I miss Ireland every day. People often talk about “soul cities,” which I totally believe in. I have a “soul country” in Ireland, and I am already finding an excuse to go back.
My One Regret
An unfortunate part of studying abroad is that your program will eventually end. While in Ireland, I pushed the goodbye to the back of my mind until the last three days, when I began packing.
“How am I supposed to go back to America?”
“Will I fall into old habits?”
“Am I going to forget parts of this experience?”
So many questions and uncertainties raced through my brain as I struggled to comprehend the end of such a meaningful experience.
I truly do feel as though I made the most of the 10 weeks I had in Ireland. Out of the five weekends I had available to travel, I went to seven countries, I saved money during the week by cooking meals (Aldi is the best grocery store of all time, I take no criticism), and I said ‘yes’ to everything I could.
My one regret, which is fully subjective and may not apply to all, is that I did not see enough live music. I live for concerts, and have gone to six in the States this year alone, but I was only able to go to one in Dublin, a place famous for its live music scene.
Obviously, I heard live music in pubs and bars, but those were average cover bands or the same four songs over and over and over. I regret not seeing more concerts in the most traditional sense of the word. I had a long list of artists who were touring Europe this summer, and my schedule only permitted me to see Noah Kahan and Djo. While they are amazing artists, I wish I had kept an eye out for artists I wasn’t already following.
Also, this is purely bad luck and timing, but four of my five predicted top artists on Spotify this year passed through Ireland in the two weeks after I left, which just sucks.
For this being my one regret, I would say I embraced everything Ireland had to offer and made the most of my study abroad experience. So, to answer my “should I study abroad?” question from April: YES, YES, YES. DO IT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.