The good, the bad and the ugly when jetting off for your year abroad.
I decided to study my third year of college abroad as an exchange student in Aarhus, Denmark in the Danish School of Journalism and media, the experience so far has been challenging, nerve-wracking, exciting and overall has already helped me become a more confident and secure woman. With all the good the experience has offered, there has also been many mishaps and learning curves within my first month. So, here’s some advice for anyone out there considering doing an Erasmus!
The Good:
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It sounds cliché, but I must start with the people, I’ve been abroad for only four weeks and already I feel as though I’ve made lifelong connections with people I would have never met. The course I’m in – world politics, journalism and multimedia, I’m the only Irish student, although I’d love someone to understand the slang and culture to chat to, not having the safety blanket of someone Irish allowed me to immerse myself into so many different cultures and nationalities that I may never have been friends with if I hadn’t come here. Along with the people the college allows students to be independent and creative and relies a lot on group projects and being out on the field, writing real stories about real events and people. With these two aspects, I am more than excited for the next few months.
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The independence, although I’ve felt lonely, confused and frustrated since I’ve been here, I’ve ultimately found that by having to rely on myself has made me trust and know myself a lot more. I listen to my own body and I know when I don’t want to be somewhere and when I’m going the wrong direction however this comes with trial and error!
The Bad:
As Meryl Streep once put it in Mamma Mia “all the things I could do if I had a little money”. This is one thing I’m sure all exchange students struggle with. If you’re anything like me and your fond of a glass, or two, or three of wine, your first few weeks may drain your bank account if you’re not careful. So, I suggest sticking to pre-drinking over drinks in bars and clubs. Another tip, if you’re food shopping for one buy every few days as shockingly food goes off if you don’t use it in time.
The Ugly: Getting lost by yourself, in a city, you don’t know, with NO WIFI. Look I was silly enough to invest in a plan before I came here or organise to get a Danish sim card immediately upon arrival. I never realised how heavily I relied on my directions via Google Maps but boy, oh boy did I, to be brutally honest I got on many a wrong bus and found myself on the verge of a breakdown in my first two weeks. However, by getting lost by myself I eventually got to know my way around a lot better and learn to not panic and try not to cry when you’re on a bus heading miles away from you’re apartment.
So far, I’ve experienced every emotion under the sun while being abroad, but since I’ve settled in, I’m only excited and thankful for the stories I’ll be able to tell at the end of it all.