Considering The N.U.in Program? Already taking part in it and feeling nervous about the transition to Northeastern University’s Boston campus? When I was studying abroad through The N.U.in Program, I was uncertain how I would feel once I left Lisbon and started school in Boston. Looking back, here are four major ways The N.U.in Program helped me grow and made my transition feel less overwhelming than expected.
1) Familiar Faces
Personally, I participated in N.U.in Portugal, the smallest of all N.U.in sites. There were only 82 of us total in Lisbon. That close-knit community allowed us to learn each other’s names and stories within the first week, creating a strong bond built on the shared experience of studying abroad. While I can’t speak to the other locations, students I have spoken with have shared that they felt a similarly tight connection with the people who went through the program with them.
On orientation day in Boston, I met up with six friends I loved spending time with in Portugal. We skipped the scheduled events to explore campus and grab our first meal at International Village’s dining hall. As we wandered, we began running into familiar faces. After spending months with the same 81 people, traveling through Portugal together and learning from the same professors, seeing them again in Boston felt surreal.
Once again, I found myself in a brand new city, but this time the 81 individuals beside me were no longer strangers. We were figuring out how to navigate a new city and campus together. It is hard to put into words how the shy smiles and passive waves we exchanged transformed into something so uplifting over the last 90 days, but they did. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this connection that began abroad and followed us home.
2) Problem-Solving SkillsÂ
Anyone who says there aren’t uncomfortable moments while studying abroad is lying to you. Not every experience is Instagram-worthy, aesthetically pleasing or soul-healing. Some moments are extremely difficult, requiring both discipline and perseverance.
From personal experience, I faced a few hurdles to overcome while studying abroad. For one, nearly everywhere I went, I encountered a language barrier, as the only Portuguese word I knew was “obrigada.” When someone muttered words I could not follow or a barista did not understand English and Google Translate failed me, I had to figure things out for myself. I persevered through broken conversations, learned to read gestures and kept trying even when I wanted to give up.
I also had to navigate living on my own for the first time while learning how to survive in a new city. I would get lost exploring the historic streets of Lisbon or turned around while looking for my dorm building. In these moments, when I felt completely out of my depth, I pushed through. Each wrong turn or instance of confusion forced me to rely on myself and problem-solve on the fly. With time, I learned to keep stepping forward.
I taught myself to stand tall and continue my journey even when life threw obstacles in front of me. I learned how to comfort myself in difficult situations and trust the skills I had built. Every small victory, whether successfully ordering a coffee or navigating a confusing street, reminded me that I could find a way forward even when things felt impossible. These experiences, exhausting and frustrating at the time, gave me the confidence and resilience I now carry with me in Boston.
3) Confidence (Especially in Class Settings)Â
Some changes are extremely noticeable, but others slip quietly into our lives. These are changes so subtle that we often don’t notice them until one day we wake up and feel the difference. Confidence is one of those quiet shifts, at least to me. It is a change that goes unnoticed, building slowly over time. When I first arrived in Lisbon, I was not the type to raise my hand first. I was not the teacher’s pet, and in all honesty, I was not very confident in my academic abilities, especially compared to others accepted into The N.U.in Program. On the first day, I shyly sat at the back of every class. My heart pounded through my chest when the professor locked eyes with me and asked for my name. Stumbling over my words, I quietly introduced myself.
I recently experienced a first day once again, this time on Northeastern’s Boston campus. As I reflect on both of these beginnings, the difference is so clear that it would be hard not to compare the two. Just like my first day in Lisbon, I nervously walked into a classroom I had never been in before. Except this time, in Boston, I chose a seat in the front of the room. My heart was not pounding when it was my turn to introduce myself, and my words were not forced; they were spoken with confidence.Â
During my time in Lisbon, I was placed in situations where interacting with professors and peers was the only option. My classes were small, ranging from 5 to 20 students, discussion-based and incredibly engaging. That academic environment shaped my confidence in the classroom and beyond. Even if the change went unnoticed from day to day, looking back, the growth is undeniable. I learned that confidence, like change, may build beneath the surface at first, but over time, it transforms how you carry yourself.
4) CuriosityÂ
When you study abroad, no one is there to guide you. You are often thousands of miles away from your home, your parents and the life you have known for years. This reality can feel striking and difficult to accept at first. If your experience is anything like mine, you will not be home for holidays you traditionally share with your family. Missing home while living in the most exciting place you have ever been, celebrating with new friends, is a feeling that is hard to put into words. I am not sure the word “bittersweet” fully captures it, but it comes close.
Studying abroad introduces experiences that stir up complex and unfamiliar emotions. Those quiet moments are part of the growth and self-development that comes with The N.U.in Program. Learning to navigate new expectations and process new feelings is eye-opening. It encourages curiosity, reflection and a deeper appreciation for life. Reflect on your growth, remember your strength and allow yourself to live a life that is completely your own.
I am incredibly grateful to have completed The N.U.in Program, and I would not trade my experiences for anything. I once worried about transitioning to the Boston campus, but looking back, those fears were unnecessary. Every beautiful moment and every difficult challenge shaped me, pushed me to keep going and taught me to trust myself. Looking ahead, I will hold the lessons I learned over the past semester close to my heart and let them guide me through the new experiences that await on the Boston campus.