Studying abroad can be such a life-changing experience. You gain new perspectives, achieve a higher level of independence, and you basically live on your own little side of the world, away from reality.
For me, I went abroad in the Spring semester, from January to May. This meant that in the time I was away, my whole family moved to a new house in a new town, both of my sisters graduated high school and college, and that’s just what I missed at home.
When I came back to campus, it was like I missed a whole lifetime. The school felt so foreign, but obviously still so familiar. It’s been so weird going to all my classes in these buildings again after just getting used to my school abroad.
But the biggest adjustment is seeing all my friends again. It’s what I looked forward to the entire time I was abroad and the rest of the summer I was at home, but my expectations were slightly different than the reality.
I feel like I missed so much in my friends’ lives, and now they have to fill me in. New jobs, new relationships, new majors – I had no idea so much could go on while I was away! And all they want to hear about is “How was study abroad?!”
It’s so crazy to me, because it already feels so long ago, but I love to share my experiences with them and fill them in on what was going on in my life as well. It reminds me that even if I feel like I missed out on so much while I was away, I still had such great experiences that I can look back on for the rest of my life.
I am so grateful to be with all my friends again and things are surely but slowly returning to normal.