If someone has lived outside of their home country for an extended period of time, then they'll remember it as a magical time of their lives where they could be (and probably were) in a different country every weekend, but they won't tell you is the struggles that come with being in an unfamiliar place without their normal support system.
1. You will get stranded somewhere.
Whether you are collectively stranded with a group of people or by yourself, it will happen. Flights get canceled due to weather, buses break down for weird reasons, or you'll get on the wrong bus in Venice and end up stranded on the freeway while it's pouring because taxis don't pick up at bus stops.
2. You will get lost.
These go hand-in-hand almost, but when you get lost, there can be simple solutions to finding the right way. When abroad, it's encouraged to get #blissfullylost in a city to understand the non-tourist aspects of it, however, you'll get lost on accident, and you and your friends will get frustrated when your day doesn't go as planned.
3. You will have trouble with currency.
Now, I'm not talking about trying to figure it all out. I'm talking about when your bank account goes belly up, and you're having to frantically call your parents because you don't have any money for food or travel. This is especially fun when you aren't in your "home" country, but on a weekend trip.
4. You will find out who your true friends are.
You'll find out who's going to stick with you when you go months without speaking, and you'll find out who your friends are who are abroad with you when they help you out when you're truly in trouble, like when you're having trouble with currency.
5. You will have a fight with your closest friend.
Whoever you're closest with as you travel, you'll have a showdown at least once because when you're abroad, there is little to no personal space, so you're going to get fed up with the people you hang out with the most at some point on the trip.
6. You will miss your hometown.
No matter how small your town is or how much you always complained about how boring and ugly it is, you'll miss your favorite places. You'll miss the familiarity of your surroundings, and you'll come to appreciate the place you call home like you never have before.
7. You will miss your home country.
For me, that was the U.S., as impossible as that may seem. I missed getting free refills, the concept of ketchup, free water, air conditioning, I miss the universal slogan that "the customer is always right," free use of bathrooms, and I missed understanding the culture and how I was supposed to act within that culture.
8. You will cry.
You'll cry at random moments and at different things. You'll cry when a certain spray deodorant smells like your mom's hair, and then you'll realize how much you miss her, and then you're just a puddle of tears. You'll also cry when you leave the country that has become your new home in the past few months you've been there. You'll have mixed feelings when you leave because you know you're going to miss it, but you're ready to go home, and you'll cry amidst the confusion.
All of these struggles get glossed over when study abroad students have been home for around 2-4 weeks, and all they can remember are the best memories because those memories are worth everything that's listed above, but you shouldn't go in blind if you're planning on going to a different country for an extended period of time.
All of the magical aspects will outweigh the bad, but be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster of a lifetime.
