Dear England,

Even before college, I was always told that studying abroad is one of the most valuable experiences a student can have. College admissions officers and students on tours would tell me about their experiences, whether they went to Italy, Australia, or Japan, and how incredible they were. As a high school student, I would daydream about not only leaving home, but going to a different country altogether. I watched movies where I saw teenagers and college students exploring different countries, like the girls in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I felt a strong desire to get out of the world I had always known to a place I never imagined as reachable. However, being a freshman in college made me nervous and skeptical to study abroad. I realized how much I missed my parents, my cat, and the comfort of my home. It is easy going to a school not too far away because it means coming home whenever I feel I need to. I came to the realization last spring that if I lived thousands of miles away from my family, it would not be as easy for me to do that.

Since the year started, I realized how much I had grown since freshmen year, arriving as a sophomore more confident than ever. It became apparent after spending a year in college that I will only get certain opportunities once, while I am still young and have no strings attached to the working world. One of the biggest advantages I could have as a college student is getting on a plane and traveling to a foreign place. I could go to almost any country of my choice, whether it’s the ever so popular Florence program, Ireland, or even to places like Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China. All those years of adults telling me the world is my oyster, is actually true.

After hearing stories and seeing pictures from my friends' experiences studying abroad, I decided to apply for my dream program in London. Each weekend students are only a plane or train ride away from a new country that has a different culture and customs. My only question is, what exactly is it like to study abroad? I imagine in my mind endless trips and explorations of making new friends. I picture being able to embrace different sides of myself and learn from them. I imagine that I will gain a new sense of independence from home in an unfamiliar environment. Will studying abroad change me for the better? Will it help me transition to a new phase of my life?

I hope through my studies abroad that I will find strength within me I didn't know existed. I think that going to a different university for a semester will allow me to make new friends throughout my journey. I imagine days of studying and interning giving me new opportunities to learn and start my career. I also hope I will have nights and weekends with friends to roam the streets of England and perhaps visit different countries, exploring places I've only read about. Even if I can’t predict exactly what will happen, where I will travel, or whom I will meet, I can only hope that I come back from this experience with a new perspective on my life and the world around me.

Sincerely,