If you're like me, you've probably spent the past semester or a previous one studying abroad or interning somewhere far away from your home university. Going away for the semester was easy for the most part. Sure, there were going to be friends and family that'd be missed, anticipated events that you would not attend, and the inevitable end in your daily routine that you had become accustomed to, but you did not expect that transitioning back to your regular life was going to be the hardest part of this whole experience.
The fall of my sophomore year was the greatest semester of my life. My friend group was amazing, I had great jobs, and for the most part was doing great academically. I would occasionally reflect on my current situation during that time, and I could never think of a time that I had ever been as happy or vibrant as I was then. However, as almost every college student that has left and returned after an extended period of time, melting into the background of society starts to become too constraining. So, to add a new twist to my life, I applied for an internship in Washington, D.C. and got it.
After an entire semester and summer away from friends and family I assumed, like so many others, that I would come back and return to my normal life. This was obviously far from the case, or else I wouldn't have taken the time to write about it. While I knew that it would be a bummer to miss out on making new memories with my best friends, it was still so hard accepting that life had continued on perfectly well without me. It seems incredibly dimwitted and selfish to say that, but thinking about how much you will miss away and then actually experiencing the aftermath of your absence are two completely different levels of distress.
One of my biggest obstacles was redefining what my role would be again within my group of friends. Even though I had kept in contact with them during my leave, they had become accustomed to their new routines that did not include me. Not only does the experience of interning or studying abroad change a person, but it changes their friends as well. I was not in on the new inside jokes, or know the people that they had met at some random social gathering. I was no longer in tune with the humor of my friends because I had gone so long without it. And if you show remorse about missing out on their memories, you will most likely get a "Well you shouldn't have left". One truly must remold themselves after being gone for a semester or more, because nothing about their previous lifestyle will ever stay the same when they return. Time and distance definitely change everything.
Another hardship that most do not consider when being away for awhile is that you can't come back and just resume your place in campus life. Whether you left an elected position like Student Government Association, or an interest group like the Cat Club, being gone has definitely made you an outsider. There is absolutely nothing more frustrating than not knowing what is going on, and you can bet your bottom dollar that coming back after a semester is basically like traveling to Mars. Nothing makes sense and everything seems backwards, and the only way to fix anything is to give it time which no one wants to do in uncomfortable circumstances.
The main struggle that umbrellas all other problems with coming back is the realization that no one truly cares about the amazing experience that you just had. Yes, your immediate family and possibly your bestie-for-the-restie will allow you a day or so to obsess about it, but other than that you are stuck with people that really would rather not hear about your scenic trek through the Sahara Dessert, or the amazing blueberry crepes you had at some local cafe wherever you were. While to you talking about your experience is necessary because it was your new "normal" for so long, to others it comes across as showing off or boring because they don't understand what you went through.
Don't let the fear of what you will come home to keep you from studying abroad or taking that internship. Every college student should live in a place different from their homes at least once in their life. It opens up your mind, teaches real-life skills, and deepens your understanding of who you are and want to be. I am so glad I took every opportunity that was available to me my semester away, no matter how hard it is to adjust to back to my regular life. Keep in mind nothing is ever permanent, and every problem eventually works itself out in the end! So take chances and live your life to the fullest while you still have time before having to actually become an adult.
