On January 7th, 2019, I took a breath, packed my suitcase and plunged into the unknown. Or as many other people call it, I went abroad. More specifically, I traveled to a city where I had always dreamt of living: Edinburgh, Scotland. Living in a new city and going to a new school is as freighting as it is rewarding. Each day brought a new set of challenges: navigating a school with 30,000+ students, learning to cook, budget and plan trips by myself.
Upon reflection, the hype that exists around abroad is because it’s a measure of intense growth. It is an experience that is thrilling but also tests a student’s ability to rely on their own independence and resources. Going abroad is a controlled experiment in survival, but I did it and picked up a few things along the way. Here is what I learned…
Utilize your support network!
Do you have friends, family? Anyone from home to talk to? Talk to them! The biggest transition from Connecticut College to Edinburgh University was the scale of the school. I would never casually bump into my friends at the library or on campus. I had to actively plan all social engagement, and this was hard! During busy weeks, I would go a few days without seeing my friends. So what would I do? I called my friends from home. We all benefited from this catch-up time, it kept us close and made me feel less isolated in my big new world.
Enjoy your home city!
Despite having the opportunity to travel internationally four times while abroad, the best experiences I had were enjoying my home city and country. Day trips to the Scottish Highlands, nights out in Edinburgh, day hikes to Arthur’s Seat where all frequent adventures I had. My favorite memory was watching the history-making soccer match between Liverpool and Barcelona in a pub by campus. Every time Liverpool scored a goal, I was thankful that I was there in Scotland to watch the game. By the time I wrapped up the semester, Edinburgh was my city. I knew it like the back of my hand, and I miss it almost every day. So whatever your motivation is to go abroad, make an effort to become a local in your home city.
Go on a date with yourself!
Abandon the idea that you are going to do everything with a large group of friends. Despite planning and going on many trips with the friends I made abroad, the biggest learning experience was the travel I did solo. The most liberating experience I had was traveling to Budapest by myself to meet my sister at the end of exams. By the end of this adventure, I have grown accustomed to solo international travel. I now feel confident and comfortable traveling by myself. But the same goes for smaller day trips too. If your plans fall through, don’t sit in your room. Go on walks, sit in a coffee shop, visit a museum, or explore! Time is of the essence, and savoring the smallest adventures is key.
Go to the party, join a club!
To restate: time is of the essence! The experience of going abroad was the closet I had ever gotten to the cliche of ‘living in the moment.’ Get an email about a trip to Loch Ness? Book it. Don’t wait. The same goes for events, and club fairs. I joined the television society and attended the ball knowing about three people. Nevertheless, I made the most amazing friends that night all of whom were full-time students at the University. I still keep in touch with them and am grateful that I pushed myself to make friends outside the abroad bubble.
Maybe contemplate studying?
I made the rouge choice of choosing a University rather than a program. What that meant was: classes, homework, and exams. I took two history courses and another on Scottish culture and learned about the history and culture of the city in which I lived. The courses I took also informed the subject in which I decided to write my Honors Thesis on. Therefore, studying while I was abroad only enriched my experience. You should try it!
Studying abroad contains all the cliches you expect; it changes you, I promise. Not because I traveled to a dozen European cities, but because I broke through another barrier of unknown. I moved to a new city, lived by myself, learned how to travel, cook, and budget. I ended my experience feeling confident in my own ability to function as an adult. When I returned to Connecticut College, I felt that I had changed, that maybe I was beginning to grow a bit too big for this place. And it is this feeling that is necessary during my senior year, an understanding that I am now ready for whatever happens after I graduate.