This semester I got the amazing opportunity to study abroad. Well, technically speaking my entire college experience has been studying abroad since I'm from Puerto Rico but go to school in the states, but this time I got to travel all the way to Ireland! Needless to say, I am beyond excited. I've only been here a few days and already love it! Here are 12 things I hope to get out of my study abroad experience.

1. New friends

Not only will I be sharing an apartment with 4 other girls, but there are plenty of students from all over the world and also the locals who I look forward to meeting.

2. New perspective

Traveling anywhere always opens up your eyes to different things. I'm looking forward to immersing myself in Ireland and getting to view the world from a different perspective.

3. Culture

Going to the states was a huge change for me, even though I thought things would be similar to home. Now, in a different country in a different continent, I know culture shock will come. Hopefully it won't stay for long, and I'll be able to immerse myself in the wonderful culture of Ireland.

4. Travels

I love traveling and being in Ireland gives me plenty of opportunities to explore the world more! I hope to make trips to nearby countries, and even if I can't make it to certain countries, I'd love to learn about them through other international students.

5. Independence

Even though college has made me pretty independent, I think being further away from my loved ones and not being able to call home or easily reach out to people will definitely help me to grow up and become more independent.

6. Knowledge

A great thing about studying abroad is that you can take classes that aren't offered at your home university. Not only that, but you also get to learn more about yourself and the world around you. I hope to learn as much as possible while I'm abroad.

7. Money skills

I don't tend to splurge constantly, but sometimes I'm not as money conscious as I'd like to be. I hope that being abroad will help make me more aware of my financial status, and I'll learn how to budget and save while still having a great time.

8. Exploring

Not only do I want to travel around Europe but I also want to get around Ireland. I really hope to become more adventurous and go on random trips either walking, on a bus or a train. I've been pretty cooped up these past three years at AU, so I hope to go exploring as often as possible while I'm here.

9. Goodbye, comfort zone!

Whether it's food, clothes, entertainment, education, or cultural manners, I can't wait to try new things and expand my horizons. I want to try new foods, try out different styles, go to shows or movies that aren't what I'm used to, behave differently and just have fun in a way that pushes me out of my comfort zone and helps me grow.

10. My own world

Not only am I dying to know about Ireland and the lifestyle and culture here, but I'm excited to see my own country, my manners, my way of growing up, and comparing it to how life is here. It'll also be exciting to swap stories about our countries and see how my world looks from over here.

11. New found confidence

Getting a fresh start is great, but also really difficult. As I study abroad, I hope to lose myself but find myself again in the end. I hope I'll gain confidence from living on my own, travelling, exploring, and getting the opportunity to reset and let go of anything holding me back. A new life starts today!

12. Picture-perfect memories

I love taking pictures, and I can't wait to make memories and capture them too! I hope at times I'll be too busy having fun, so I won't have time for pictures, but I can't wait to have all these snapshots connected to all the new, fun and exciting things coming my way.

Studying abroad is both terrifying and exciting. I hope to gain so much from this experience because not only can I share it all once I'm back, but I know everything that happens here will shape me and stick with me forever.