It’s hard to believe this semester is coming to a close. It seems like just yesterday my mom was bidding me farewell at JFK airport as we repacked my 20-pound overweight suitcases (not an exaggeration).
Not only did I get to live with my best friends in Florence, one of, if not the most beautiful city in the world, but I also got a chance to explore Europe and open my eyes to different walks of life.
I have travelled to more countries, visited more museums and met more diverse individuals in the past 3-½ months than I have in my entire life.
Let’s put it this way, while your highlight of the semester was getting a Chipotle, mine was a tough choice between drinking champagne under the Eiffel tower, climbing Mount Vesuvius or celebrating my 20th birthday in Ibiza.
So if I haven’t made myself clear, you should study abroad. After all, all the cool kids are doing it.
And if you don’t give into peer pressure, and just want to see the world, learn new things or just party in a continent with a lower drinking age (heeeeeeeyyy) then you should really look into some programs and take this fantastic opportunity.
Don’t get me wrong I really missed the city that knows no sun. I’m pumped to go back to Binghamton with my friends and live off campus for the first time. Also, like any semester, I did encounter some speed bumps along the road while living abroad. I was pick pocketed in broad daylight on my first day in Italy, had a stressful internship and most recently, slept next to a 50 year old man who was drinking milk from underneath his bed and had been living in the hostel for 7 weeks.
So, in some ways, being abroad this semester has given me a new appreciation for Bing. It made me realize how great my friends truly are and that I actually miss taking real classes. Plus, as bad as the boys are at school, the Italian men are creeps and even make townies look cool.
So whether you can take an entire semester off, just the summer or even a few weeks over a break, travel to a foreign country and step out of your comfort zone. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself and the world in a short amount of time.