The college that I attend, Arcadia University, offers a unique program for its first-year students. Every spring, they offer a multitude of 2.00 credit classes that focus on specific topics and issues in different countries. For instance, the music industry in London, England or pop culture in Seoul, South Korea. Over the course of the semester, students attend class to discuss and research these issues while also learning more about the country itself, engaging in group projects and debates whilst gaining a more global perspective. But the interest doesn't stop there. During Arcadia's spring break, typically sometime in mid-March, the students actually have the opportunity to board a plane and travel to the countries that they have been studying so intently over the past few weeks. In the spring of 2016, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Istanbul, Turkey and although I had a wonderful and eye-opening experience, there are a few pieces of advice that I would like to pass on to any first-year students preparing for the time of their lives.

1. Expect to be exhausted.

To be fair, I was warned about this. Given the sudden drastic time change between the United States and Turkey that the next 5 days wouldn't really allow me to adjust to, I expected to be tired. What I didn't expect was how busy we would be; touring the city from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, listening to a guest speaker from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm and still having to find a spot for dinner at the end of the day. There were more than a few nights where I crashed in my hotel room from 6:00 pm until the next morning, completely skipping dinner.

2. Wander with caution.

Depending on your itinerary, your trip will most likely include more than a few tours with some free time in between. As exciting as it is to go off the beaten path and go on your own adventure, make sure you at least have an exploring buddy to go with you, especially if you're in a country where you do not speak the primary language(s). Whilst in Turkey, my friends and I decided to journey over to the Asian side of the country on a boat, only to realize by the time we were ready to leave that the last boat back to our port had left without us. We were able to find a way back to our hotel safely but had I decided to adventure out on my own without an international cell phone, I might still be stuck there to this day.

3. International Phone Plans

I personally was able to forgo the week without cell data, but then again, the hotel we stayed in offered free wi-fi and I was able to just turn off the data on my iPhone and log onto the wi-fi that was available. I wouldn't say that buying international roaming data is absolutely necessary, but you may want to consider it if the wi-fi in your location is a bit unreliable, just so you can check in with your loved ones back in the states once a day or so.

4. Be mindful of souvenirs.

It's great that you're thinking of your family and friends while on your trip, but be careful with what you add to your suitcase. Many airlines have weight limits on the luggage and you still have to fit everything back into your bag that you brought with you in the first place! My friend ended up buying an extra suitcase just so she could bring back everything and I stuck with the "sit on your suitcase until it zips shut" method. It's not elegant, but it works if you're in a pinch.

5. Take TONS of photos.

This might seem like kind of a no-brainer, but trust me, there is no such thing as too many photos. Who knows when you'll find yourself in this country again? It's best to make the most of your experience and take photos wherever you go. Not to say that you should be glued to your phone screen the entire time, but in a year from now, you'll look back on those memories fondly with some sweet evidence of your incredible travels.