I'm almost halfway done with my study abroad program in London, and I have to admit something. Part of me really does want to go home and see my family, but part of me lately has wanted to stay. Even with the Brexit, I feel like I can get used to life here. Maybe that's what happens when you stay in one place for awhile. At first, you like it but you feel homesick and are unaware of how you will survive the rest of the time. Then, you get used to everything and suddenly you have a developed pattern in everyday life.

This feeling is not new. I felt the same way when I first started college: new place, new schedule, a few tears the first couple of nights. I've gone through this before. The only difference is that I'm not able to go home for a weekend when I get homesick. As much as my parents would probably like to see me and as much as I would like to see them before my departure day, flying back and fourth whenever I feel homesick costs way too much. Also, the jet lag would not help at all. I'm still having troubles figuring out when I get tired and when I should go to sleep sometimes here. And it's probably going to be really bad when I get home.

While this feeling still appears from time to time, I will admit it's gotten better possibly because I'm used to the schedule now and keeping myself occupied with field trips the program provides. Every bit helps. But I do wonder how many times I'll feel these emotions again and again. Will they occur when I go to grad school? Start my first post-college career? Wedding night? First child (if I choose to have them)? Who knows? All I can tell for now is that these emotions are going to occur whether I like them or not and they probably happen to everybody else too.

So these emotions happen and I guess we can't avoid it. Should we just learn how to power through it? Be aware? Cry our hearts out?

What I can probably say is that this is something we need to learn to recognize and handle. We can't go through our lives without going out of our comfort zone at least once. This might seem like a surprise for some of you, but it is true.

I guess my advice for now, going through this study abroad experience currently, is to try to do the things you want to do that would require you to face these emotions. Granted, if you are the anxious kind like me, you should at least assess the situation and see if you're ready too. It's not a good idea to try if you're going through something or know that you might get multiple panic attacks that can affect your experience negatively. (Health first, then other things.) Preparation is key.

If you think you can do it, then do it if possible. Who knows how many times it'll take for anybody to be ready to take on new things? Practice makes perfect.