Going abroad is one of the most amazing opportunities we have as college students. To leave your comfort zone and live in a totally new culture is challenging, but incredibly rewarding. 

You learn about yourself as well as truths about your own culture. You realize people are ultimately the same no matter what language they speak. You see amazing things and travel in a way generations before us rarely got the chance to do. Studying abroad is important for our generation as we become more open-minded and more adaptive.

what happens when you come home? Coming home is a whirlwind of excitement to see your friends and family, to eat Chipotle and peanut butter, to sleep and stop using cheap trains, buses and planes so much. It’s the quiet after that excitement when reverse culture shock sets in.

The weirdness of coming home after four to six months abroad, can be things like the times and length of meals, every sign being in English or driving again. It can be more difficult things like going from a small group of students in a wilderness setting to coming back to our big university in Ohio, which my friend who studied in Patagonia experienced

Reverse culture shock has a broad meaning and even the term, “culture shock,” is a little exaggerated. That being said, there’s no doubt that coming back is hard, or just plain strange. If you’re bummed you’re not traveling anymore, or you're missing the country you studied in, let it be a motivation to get out and have more adventures where you live at home or at school! Wanderlust can be a great influence. Use it to keep the abroad attitude and excitement in your life.

No matter what you find difficult getting used to again, the best thing to keep in mind is that your experiences have helped you grow as a person. That growth doesn’t have to make us feel separate from our lives at home, just like a more enhanced version of ourselves. Keep abroad in your life for all the best reasons and let it enrich your life at home.