Last semester, I had the opportunity to take part in two really incredible experiences, practically back-to-back. I spent one month studying abroad in Belgium, and then spent the rest of the summer (and fall semester) interning in Philadelphia. I could go on and on about all the things I got to do, places I got to see, and people I got to meet. But that feels like a story for another time. Now that I’m back home, I’ve had some time to ruminate on my time away last semester, and I wanted to share some of them.
I realized the world is open to me if I could just be brave enough to head out there. There is so much WORLD out there to explore, and so many things that we will never get the chance to see if we stay stuck in our daily or weekly routines. I mean, when else am I going to be in Europe or the East Coast with minimal responsibilities? During my study abroad, I was astounded by how easy (and timely, and safe, and cheap) it was to just hop on a train. I could be in a whole new city in less than an hour. Even upon my return to the U.S., I was blessed to be in a part of the country heavily connected by Amtrak or local rail systems, which made traveling so accessible and college-student friendly.Â
I’m so glad I hopped on every single one of those trains. Navigating public transportation can be difficult, but as a practical note, it’s truly such a confidence booster once you get the hang of it. I genuinely believe you could drop me in any city with a train, bus, or subway system, and I could figure it out. Except maybe NYC. That one was a lot.
Beyond the glamour of all the sights I got to see, last semester was also the most physically alone I’ve been, and I spent countless sleepless nights struggling with that. By the end, though, I realized that home is not always a place. It sounds so cliche, I’m aware. But maybe home is your cohort of 20: you didn’t know any of them before the flight, then suddenly, they were the only people you had. Now, there’s a collage on the wall of your month in Europe with them.Â
Maybe home is your boyfriend and roommates, all hitting you at the same time with carefully planned FaceTimes, making sure they can wish you happy birthday just as the clock strikes midnight in Brussels.Â
Maybe home is your high school best friend texting you her train status as you get in the car to pick her up from the train station.Â
Maybe home is your parents’ calling while your dad blows out the candles on his 50th birthday, so that you can be there too.Â
Maybe home is buying yourself a week’s worth of mangoes as a summer treat, and eating one after dinner every night, hunched over the kitchen sink like a gremlin.Â
Maybe home is the lunch you grab (in your hometown, of all places) with your college best friend, when you were certain you wouldn’t see her again until January. Maybe home is getting yelled at by her for having ads every Wednesday night, watching the newest TSITP episode online together.Â
Throughout those months, I was the furthest away from home I’ve ever been, for the longest time. I wasn’t used to being the person I spent the most time with. I realized that maybe home is made of the people in your heart. Maybe all those times I lay sad in bed, homesick, I was really just people-sick. When the people you care about are scattered all over the map, maybe it’s only ever possible to be people-sick.Â
But it’s only because of that scatter that I was able to spend a glorious 6 months gallivanting around the East Coast with my best friend. And it’s only because of the months of nightly FaceTimes that I now jump at any opportunity I get to spend time with my people in Texas. I even have a few people now who I hope will shoot me a text if they ever find themselves in Austin.Â
I’m not telling you that you need to leave everything you know behind to learn these things. But I’m not not telling you that. Take that job, move to that city, book that flight. It’s going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But it might also just become the next most pivotal moment in your life.