Studying abroad is easily one of the most rewarding, life-changing journeys a college student can undergo. It's like one long vacation, except with the addition of unwanted schoolwork and often unexpected culture shocks. You'll depart from your home country with dreams of delicious food and sightseeing, and return with a more expansive worldview and thousands of lifelong memories. Whether you choose to study abroad in Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia, here are a few common experiences uniting nearly everyone who chooses to take on this impressive feat and hop on a plane across the globe.
1. Your feet will hurt... all the time.
Imagine walking 10-20 miles a day, making wrong turns left and right and spending hours trying to find a single monument in a city you've never been to before. Sure, you're strolling through Rome, gelato in hand, but you just wish you could afford a personal chauffeur or sit down for a few years. Investing in a comfortable pair of shoes is definitely worthwhile; however, incessant foot pain is inevitable.
2. You'll be sleep-deprived in the best way possible.
While abroad, you'll feel pressured to always be doing something, whether that "something" is grabbing a croissant at the local bakery as a study break or staying out until six in the morning in Barcelona. But, let's be real, why would you sleep when an entire undiscovered city lies right outside your door?
3. You'll stop worrying about your waistline.
Depending on your habits at home, you might arrive with a meticulously devised workout schedule, sheet of diet tips and an artillery of pep talks to prevent you from eating junk food. Be prepared to watch these notions slither away as soon as you take your first bite of authentic Italian pizza or gelato. You won't regret eating amazing food, but you will regret restricting yourself for the sake of having your jeans fit more comfortably.
4. You'll experience a roller coaster of emotions.
Home is hundreds of thousands of miles away, you don't speak the local language and you're just really craving Chipotle. At the same time, the whole world lies at your fingertips, and you can just as easily hop on a cheap flight to Oktoberfest as you can take a weekend trip home while back at main campus. The entire journey, whether it be a month, semester or year, will batter you with a vast range of emotions that leave you wondering if you ever really felt before hopping on that plane.
5. Even after leaving the country you're living in, you'll accidentally continue to speak the language.
Sure, you're in Paris, but five hours ago you were in Rome. The cashier at Ladurée will give you a puzzled glance after you say "grazie" instead of "merci," but at least you've learned something!
6. You'll instantly bond with anyone who speaks your native language.
When you can actually understand what the person next to you on the metro is saying, you will feel inexplicably compelled to turn and act like you've known the person all your life. Five minutes later, you will know their entire life story like the back of your hand.
7. You'll want to spend every second doing something, unless that thing is school.
The Colosseum is a ten-minute subway ride from campus, yet you're expected to lock yourself in the library for ten hours to write a paper on Baroque art history? While it's definitely difficult to balance schoolwork and the desire to explore every inch of the city you're living in, it is important to remember the reason why the program is called "study abroad." Despite this struggle, try not to let schoolwork prohibit you from living life to the fullest during your limited time abroad. After all, never again will you be a 20-something-year-old frolicking through the streets of Europe!
8. You'll regret not spending more time exploring the city you're studying in.
When a flight across the continent costs a mere 80 Euro, it's not hard to approach the end of the semester with the realization that you've spent a measly two weekends in your temporary home base. Although the facility of country-hopping can be so enticing that you may forget the appeal of the city in which you are studying, setting aside a few weekends to spontaneously explore your own city is essential. Exit the metro in a neighborhood you've never seen before, or take a trip to all the touristy sites you haven't had the opportunity to visit yet.
9. Money flies...
The desire to do something every waking moment of the day comes with its fair share of consequences, the most dire being the sinking feeling in your stomach when you check your bank account and realize that the 100 Euro you spent is actually $120. Pushing financial concerns to the back of your mind can be difficult, but spending a little extra money here and there is definitely a justifiable sacrifice. While traveling may come with a hefty price tag, the memories acquired are priceless.
10. ...And so does time.
