From my first day of freshman year, I knew I wanted to study abroad in Australia. It’s been my dream to go there since I was a kid. I wanted to experience the lifestyle, culture, food, people and the beautiful landscapes that the country has to offer. I loved everything about it, and I hadn’t even been there yet. The process was long, but it flew by so fast. The excitement and anxiety only grew as I got closer to leaving Boston for the beautiful Gold Coast. Before I knew it, I was on a flight to Australia so that I could begin a new journey abroad.
Being away from the place I grew up in and the people I knew was a lot to take in at first. It felt like everything was moving very fast. Though it was a bit hard the first few days, the adjustment became easier thanks to my friends and professors. With them, the process of adjusting quickly got easier and I was able to fully enjoy everything from the beginning of the semester.
Spending a semester abroad teaches you a lot of things. I learned a lot about myself and about life. These lessons helped make me into the person I am today.
1. If you’re going to study abroad, it’s a major leap of faith. You’re exposing yourself to a whole new place, new people, a new culture, etc. It’s a lot to take in and adjust to. You just have to take it one day at a time and surround yourself with people who will support you throughout the experience.
2. The decision to study abroad is no small feat. As someone who struggles with anxiety, this was a huge step for me. My anxiety got in the way some days, but it’s best to not let it stop you from experiencing a whole new place.
3. Allow yourself to experience things you may have never thought of doing. I went skydiving. I climbed the Q1 building in Surfers Paradise and climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge at night. These are all things I never thought I would want to do, but I’m so glad I did.
4. I thrived while I was abroad. I felt so at home at Bond. I loved my friends, my classes, and the people I met. I allowed myself to open up more and come out of my shell. I really felt like I found my place there.
5. Make friends. My friend group was diverse in where we were from and that’s something I’m so grateful for. I now have friends from different countries and it only added to the overall experience.
6. Fear is overrated. Everyone is afraid or nervous when they go abroad. Don’t let that hold you back from enjoying everything that the country you go to has to offer.
7. Life is too short not to enjoy. (Cliché, I know). The whole point of spending a semester abroad is to expose yourself to new things and to take it all in (and study, of course). Don’t stop yourself from doing something so incredible and eye-opening.