Let me start by saying this: If you ever get the opportunity to study abroad, take it and run with it.
Last spring, I ventured over to the other side of the pond and spent nearly five months living and learning in Bournemouth, England. About two hours south of London, Bournemouth is a beach town and home to Bournemouth University, where I spent the semester studying communications and media.
I grew up with an anxiety and panic disorder and never thought I would leave my hometown, let alone move to a different continent for five months, but studying abroad was the best experience of my life — in fact, my anxiety barely even bothered me overseas.
And the coolest thing about it is this: It's not just academic coursework you're studying. The learning encompasses so much more than just classes and grades — it's a lifestyle when you're abroad. You learn about cultures different than your own. You learn how to travel on your own and make friends from different parts of the world. You learn to spread your wings and broaden your horizons, becoming more cultured and confident as you go.
One of the biggest things I learned is this: Take advantage of every situation and enjoy every single moment. If you decide to study abroad, here's a few words of advice to help you get the most out of it and enjoy every wild adventure!
1. Take some time to explore the city you’re in on your own.
OK, so two things: a) I wasn't alone in this photo and b) I know this point sounds bad because we're taught from a young age to use the buddy system and never travel alone...but you REALLY need to try it sometime! While traveling with your closest friends is always a blast, different people have different agendas and traveling styles. Some want to cover as much ground and fit in as many landmarks as possible in a 12-hour span, which can be exhausting. Others are content to meander around all day and just take everything in that they pass, which can be relaxing but also makes it easier to lose track of time.
Traveling on your own puts the control in your hands. You get to decide what time to get up, where to go, what to see and do, and when you head back to your place. You get all the time in the world to just ponder and think about life, while exploring some of the most majestic places in the world. It's your call how you spend your time. Not only can you go discovering places and things you've only previously seen in photographs, you can also use that time to do some self-discovering.
2. Get out, explore and socialize.
When you study abroad, or just travel anywhere, you're bound to meet new people. My friends and I met people at BU from Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, France and more. This photo was taken toward the end of our stay, on the night we had to say goodbye to our Austrian friend, Sebastian.
Staying in your flat or just being antisocial is like putting a bubble around yourself: No one can get in and you can't get out. You won't be taking full advantage of your study-abroad experience if you don't go socialize, explore and befriend people! From pub hopping and trivia nights to beach trips, Mexican dinner nights and a night out at the local club, we had a lot of laughs and memories made. Sebastian even recently came to visit us in Florida!
Not only will you have friends in places all over the world you can go back and visit, you're exposed to different cultures, perspectives and ways of life. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me.
3. Step out of your comfort zone.
When you travel, especially abroad, you'll be taken out of your comfort zone. A lot. It's bound to happen when you're in a different culture, in an unfamiliar city with unfamiliar people. But that's the beauty of it: Stepping out of your comfort zone is how you grow. For me, one of those things wasn't necessarily scary, it was just hard for me to do. I climbed Mount Vesuvius in Italy with my friends, all of whom were in much better shape than I was. It was a brutal workout for me, and freezing cold at the top! I was slower than my friends, but I made it to the top eventually and was rewarded with this lovely view.
There's a saying in life that goes "A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." Ships are the vessels that are meant to go out into unfamiliar waters and navigate them, eventually arriving at its destination. You are the ship, and you're meant to explore. Go visit the place where everyone speaks a different language. Climb the mountain. Go meet that boy or girl you came across on Tinder. Whatever stretches your comfort zone, give it a try.
4. Document everything. Pictures, videos, everything.
This is one of my personal regrets from my time abroad: I feel like I didn't take nearly enough pictures or video.
Granted, I only had an iPhone 4S at the time and wouldn't get my iPhone 6 or Nikon DSLR camera until later that year. However, in hindsight, I still wish I had taken SO many more photos and videos. Even if the quality wasn't great, the memories they would spark would be.
Whenever you travel, be sure to enjoy the scenery, the cities, the people, the views and the moments with your own eyes. Never make your camera lens a substitute for your own eyes. But it's OK to take photos and video clips to capture those moments in a frame forever, too. Even if you're that annoying friend with the camera who wants pictures of everything, go for it! It's worth it to have those memories in your hand to look back on.
5. It’s OK to get lost sometimes.
Justin Bieber puts it best: "Everyone gets lost sometimes, you know. It's inevitable." You're in a totally unfamiliar place, maybe somewhere that the local language is different than your own. Maybe you're just getting the hang of reading maps, or maybe you're in the nearest Starbucks getting WiFi to map out your route. No matter how well you plan, chances are that you will get lost at some point, and it WILL be frustrating.
But sometimes the coolest things happen when things don't go as planned. When my friend and I were in London on our way to our favorite local band's show, we went to the wrong venue on the complete opposite side of the city from where we were supposed to be. We ran through each tube station, frantic to get to the right place in time for the show. I was so mad at myself for allowing this to happen. Long story short, we actually ended up running into the parents of the guys in the band on the tube, and we arrived with them to the venue on time!
Sometimes taking the scenic route, whether planned or not, pays off. Things don't always go as planned, but that's OK; sometimes the end result is better than anything you could have planned in the first place!
