Whether you have already studied abroad or you are on this wild adventure like I am now, you understand the stages you go through before leaving home. A lot happens in between applying and actually saying goodbye for a semester. Your emotions are all over the place. You go from days feeling like “I am so excited, this is going to be the best time of my life” to “What am I doing, I can’t survive in a foreign country.” But, you think about it and realize, if other people can do it then so can you. People say studying abroad was one of the best decisions they ever made, so why not see what its all about for yourself?

1. The Vision

After seeing countless Facebook posts, Instagrams, and maybe even Twitter posts, you have witnessed the first hand how amazing it seems to study abroad. People who go abroad claim it was the best four months of their life, while people who didn’t go abroad say it is their biggest regret from college. You may soon decide you want that experience, or you could have been one of those people that decided they were going abroad the second they got accepted to college. It soon consumes you, becoming all you can think about.

2. Applying

Now that you can see yourself holding the Eiffel Tower in the palm of your hand for an Instagram or swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, it is time to apply. You decide what destination will be your home for those four months of your young adult life and hit submit on the application. (As well as hand in or submit the other 100 forms of information: passport photocopies, health forms, etc.)

3. Acceptance

You seem to continue on with your days secretly and openly awaiting the day you receive an acceptance. You talk with other friends that apply who are all anticipating the day as well. And then, when you least expect it, you receive that email with the “Congratulations, It is with great pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted.” Both relief and excitement overwhelm you. After all that time talking about and thinking about study abroad, it is actually happening for you.

4. Time to tell everyone

Now that it is official, what is there to do besides tell every single one of your family members, friends, and random people you see on the street? You talk about it any chance you get and slide it into every conversation. Even if they care or don't care still getting a chance to talk about it is enough for you. It makes you feel on top of the world.

5. Planning

You find yourself never focused. Once your tickets are booked and the emails keep flowing in, you begin to continuously make lists in your head. Lists of the countries you will travel to, lists of the food you will eat, lists of the things you need to pack, lists of the things you still need to buy, etc. You Google, “Places you must travel while studying abroad,” and take down notes. You ask other people who have studied abroad what classes they took if it was difficult adjusting, where to go, and so on. You’re forever planning out a semester that is still a distance away, but everything you're planning seems amazing and you still cannot stop smiling or talking about it.

6. Countdown

With studying abroad in your future, your daily life seems to bore you. You find yourself staring at a professor talking about something you find irrelevant while you are day dreaming about walking the streets, discovering a foreign city. You come back to reality when you realize there are still 55 days 12 hours 36 minutes and 24 seconds until you actually leave for your adventure. You sadly go on with your days with the countdown always in mind (Don’t deny it, you most likely had a countdown app on your phone).

7. Goodbyes

As the weeks are dwindling before you leave, you find yourself constantly saying goodbye. You say goodbye to home friends, school friends, family, and even random neighbors and their dogs because you don't know if you will see them before you leave. You visit with family, have coffee dates with friends, and even say goodbye to places and inanimate objects you know you won’t see for four months. It seems as though everyone wants to give you a farewell hug and a “Good luck, you’re going to have the best time,” remark. As its seems you have said goodbye to every single person you’ve ever possibly known, you feel some sadness, but still overwhelming excitement.

8. Packing

First off, studying abroad turns you into a pro packer. As your departure is only a few days away it is now socially acceptable to begin packing. You plan out what you want to bring, go over lists for packing of other people who have studied abroad, or even research online, “Best travel abroad packing list.” But then, you hit a wall. So you’re saying I have to fit four months of clothing in one or two suitcases and a carry-on? After panicking and crying to your mom a little you begin to rationalize that ok maybe in my pile of 25 shoes I only need six essential pairs. Oh, and of course, you plan to wear all of your heaviest clothes on the plane.

9. Leaving Day

The day has finally arrived. Your bags are packed and waiting near the door, your plane tickets are printed, and you are all ready to go. You wait around as the day drags on for you to hop in the car to ride to the airport. As you pack the car and say goodbye to your dog, cat, hamster or whatever pet you have that you hold dear to your heart (definitely the hardest goodbye of all), reality sets in. You realize as the car pulls out of the driveway you’re actually leaving home.

10. Pure Panic

The car ride to the airport is where the panic sets in. You begin to think about flying alone, being in a foreign country, and pretty much every possible thing that could go wrong. You arrive at the airport and continue to panic as the time comes to say goodbye to your family, friends or whoever dropped you off at the airport. As they cry, you hold back tears and try to smile and act excited. Going through security, your mind is racing and at that point, you can’t even remember if you packed your toothbrush. As you settle down at your departure gate, it still doesn’t feel completely real.

11. Excitement

After more panic with wondering who you will sit next to on the plane, you finally board and settle down in your seat. Then, the plane takes off. You look out the window, and can’t stop yourself from smiling. As you wave goodbye to home down below you think all about the exciting new adventure that awaits you. The roller coaster ride of emotions of leaving home is at its end. After four movies, three meals, maybe a layover, and obviously no sleep, you land in your destination. Once again, you feel an excitement.

12. Reality

I truly don’t know when reality hits. It could be when you finally touch down in a new country, or in the taxi ride to your apartment, or when you meet your new roommates for the next four months. It might be when you're eating gelato in awe in front of the Duomo or staring at Big Ben. The experience of studying abroad is simply different for everyone. Overall, there are experiences people can prepare you for and some you must come to understand on your own. However, I believe we all study abroad with a goal in mind: to leave the comforts of home to explore what the world has to offer us. To discover the best four months of our lives.