This spring break, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my friend’s home country of Costa Rica with three of my other friends. A year ago, I didn’t even know what college I was going to, let alone what my spring break plans were for the next year. I had no idea that the wonderful people that I’m so close to now even existed and how much my life would change. Finding close friends was something I was definitely worried about coming into college, given that I’ve known most of my best friends from home since elementary school. Even though I haven’t known my college friends for an entire year, it feels like we have been close for so much longer.

Going to another country with my college friends reminds me that there is a great big world outside of Emory’s campus. Personally, this is something that I often don’t remember when faced with projects, deadlines, midterms, and finals. Of course my education is still of utmost importance to me, but exploration and travel has always been a huge part of my life. Atlanta is so much bigger than Emory’s campus and this is something that I often forgot over the hectic first semester of college.

The first year of college is always a struggle, and I am lucky enough to have great people by my side and to get to share such a wonderful experience with them. Just on Emory’s campus we have made too many memories to count from our dorm to the DUC (our dining hall). I was excited and intrigued how our interactions and group dynamic outside of college would change. Between beach days, jungle hikes, sloths, and getting our food stolen by some rowdy beach raccoons, I’ve grown even closer to the people that I pretty much already spend all of my time with.

At the same time, I have met so many colorful and new people here in Costa Rica. I am fully confident that this trip has brought us even further together. The fact that I got to visit my friend’s home country and see her way of life and how it differs from mine made this trip especially memorable. It truly made me look at our relationship and the group relationship with a new perspective. They say you can’t truly know someone unless you walk a mile in their shoes, but walking many miles through mountains and waterfalls truly is a bonding experience. I can surely say that I’m excited for what and the rest of the year holds and for the trips to come in the future.