The summer is abruptly coming to an end, and all the college kids are getting ready to go back to school. This is around the time when everyone does their back-to-school shopping, buying clothes and getting things for their dorm rooms. For me, this year is a little different.

Ever since I was younger, traveling is something I have always loved to do. Whether it was local trips to the Cape, visiting family in Canada, or even going overseas to visit family in Italy, I've always wanted to see as much of the world as I possibly can.

When I was in high school, traveling abroad was a decision I made long before I had even decided I wanted to go to college. When I decided to apply to schools, I made sure that wherever I ended up going would allow me to study abroad during my college career.

Now, finally heading into my senior year of college, I won’t be driving just an hour away to Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. Instead, I will be flying seven hours away to London, England where I will be studying abroad at Richmond, the American International University. This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and it’s been something my mother has been trying to avoid me doing for just as long. She had high hopes that maybe, just maybe, I would lose interest in wanting to study abroad and forget the whole thing altogether. Clearly, that was not the case.

I had every intention of studying abroad my junior year, but unfortunately, things just did not work out the way I had planned. But I was not going to let that stop me from chasing my dreams. I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone get in my way of finally going abroad; after all, this is my last year of college and my last chance at this amazing opportunity.

This summer was my last summer as a college student; that sounds very weird for me to say. These past three years of school flew by and I can’t believe I’m already going into my senior year. It’s also very weird for me that I will not be able to spend the first semester of my senior year at Curry, with all of my friends.

Moving to London for four months will definitely be a huge adjustment. I will be on my own in a different country where I’ll have to meet all new people and make all new friends. It will also be the furthest away from my family I’ve ever been, and that will take some getting used to. I won’t be just a car ride away anymore, or have the luxury of coming home on the weekends if I need to do laundry or just want to see my family. It will be the first time that I will truly be on my own.

I have never been more excited, yet so nervous to go back to school. I’m very anxious to go abroad, but I’m also looking forward to the experiences I’m about to have overseas. While I’m there, I want to travel as often as I possibly can, see as many amazing sites as I can see, and hopefully have the time of my life. Many people say that going abroad changes you for the better. They also say that an opportunity like this is unlike any other, and if you are fortunate enough to have that chance, then you must take it and run with it. I can’t wait to see what these next four months in London have in store for me.