As the fall semester approaches, and many of my friends begin the preparation process for a semester abroad, I find myself looking back more and more at the five months I spent in London, England. I am so excited for them – the new faces, places, and adventures waiting to be experienced – and I feel slight traces of jealousy wishing I could rewind back to January and do it all over again. Whether you are setting off for months overseas, or are simply taking an extended vacation, here are five revelations that became known to me after I returned home from my semester abroad.
1. It's okay to be a loner.
Before you shake your head and deem me crazy, let me explain. One of the most important things I learned from studying abroad is that it is okay, and perfectly normal, to do things by yourself. Almost from day one, we surround ourselves with people, and often feel most comfortable in groups. Don’t let your group of friends be your life preserver during your short time overseas. While being with a group of people can help one overcome the nerves that come along with travel, you will also encounter the stress that comes along with multiple people having different ideas of how they would like to spend their free time. Some of my fondest memories come from activities that I took the plunge and did alone. These were tasks that I truly looked forward to completing even before I arrived in London. Exploring the V&A on a rainy day, donning my Wellies and hiking around the English countryside, and a detour to the Barbour factory are scant examples of my adventures with me, myself, and I.
2. Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of.
Living abroad is like freshman year of college all over again. You have moved to a completely new territory, have to make new friends, and adjust to a completely new schedule and lifestyle. However, now you are truly on your own – your Orientation Staff leaders are not checking up on you to make sure you are okay. At times, I felt as if I needed to prove myself when I first arrived in London. I needed to show everyone that I was independent and capable of doing things on my own. While determination is a great thing to have, ask for help – you will need it! Whether it is something as simple as asking for directions or how to use public transit to something more serious like academic or emotional challenges, there is a team of staff members waiting to help you make your semester abroad the best it can be.
3. Be proud of where you come from — but don't overdo it.
If you asked a foreigner for adjectives to describe an American, loud, brash, and obnoxious might top the list. That being said, I like to prove people wrong. I am happy be from the United States. While studying abroad, we are living in a foreign country, but in the end we are still a visitor. We need to accept and respect that each new place we visit has a unique culture and set of values. Not every single detail is going to be exactly how it is at home…but that’s the fun of it! The quicker you accept this, the faster you can start to have a fantastic time. So let's work one step at a time to change their list of Americans to friendly, kind, and accepting.
4. Social media is not the #1 priority.
While in London, one of the classes I took was on British Media. Naturally, the topic of our generation and social media arose in our class discussions. One of the points brought up was the need to prove yourself through various social media platforms; the idea that we are constantly determining whether or not we want to do something based on how many likes a post on Facebook or a photo on Instagram will receive. Don’t let social media take over your experience in a foreign country. Taking pictures is the perfect way to capture a moment to remember forever, but also put down the lens for a moment and truly absorb the world around you.
5. Don't allow anyone to diminish your experience.
While this last lesson might seem a bit dramatic, I have found it to be absolutely true. I am not trying to regard others as hateful – 4/5 of the people who ask you about your study abroad experience will be genuinely interested in the amazing opportunity you had. The other 20 percent however, are out to get you. This might be because the person has not had the opportunity to travel, or their own time abroad was not as satisfactory as they hoped it to be. In my case it was the latter… don’t let he/she bring you down. Brush off their comments, and be proud of the person you have become after studying in a foreign country.
