I'm leaving in less than two months to live on my own (basically) for three and a half months in a foreign country. To say I'm not anxious and scared would be a lie. With that said, I'm also more than excited to finally see the world and really discover who I am. I hope these 108 days will be a time of self-discovery, the start of new friendships, a new learning experience both inside and outside the classroom and an adventure that will last a lifetime.

It's hard not to be anxious and scared when terrorist attacks are all over the news; many people I come in contact with saying they'd be scared if they were me and warning me of the dangers abroad. Of course terrorism is a very real thing, but it could happen literally anywhere. It could happen as I walk the streets of Boston or it could happen as I explore a new country. I'm not going to let fear stop me from exploring this beautiful world we live in.

Another worry of mine is if I'll like my roommate or even make friends for that matter. Luckily I get to study abroad with one of my close friends from school which makes the entire process way less scary. Knowing I'll have someone I know by side throughout the whole journey is comforting. However, I'd still love to make new friends that hopefully last a lifetime.

I decided to have a random roommate and I really hope it all works out. The last thing I want to worry about is not getting along with my roommate when I'm away from home. I hope my roommates will help Florence feel like a home away from home. I hope I meet people I instantly click with and will be ready for endless adventures during our three months abroad.

I've been on my own to an extent in college, but no where to close to how on my own I will soon be. Living in a country with a different language and way of life will be quite the learning curve but I'm ready to dive into their culture and hopefully feel like a part of society.

If you know me, you know I'm addicted to my phone. Going to a country where I won't have constant internet access is completely frightening to me. The people most important to me will no longer be a text away at any given time and I won't be able to pull up directions when I'm lost, nor will I be able to look up the best restaurants or shops. Instead, I'll have to get lost and find out the best places on my own. Without constant wifi and a time zone difference, will I still be able to keep relationships thriving at home?

It'll be a struggle to balance life back at home with my new life in Florence. I'll have to balance talking about my adventures with new friends with what's going on back at home. Will I be able to maintain relationships while living my new life abroad? I'm used to talking to the people closest to me from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, and once I'm abroad it'll be a lot less frequent due to time zone differences and not having constant internet access. I hope I'm able to keep my relationships thriving while I'm away for three months.

Will I thrive in my classes or will I struggle with the work load? I hope I'm able to balance traveling along with getting all my school work done. I'm taking classes that truly interest me and I really hope I love them as much as I think I will. It'd be even better if I am able to connect with people in my classes.

With all this being said, my life is about to change drastically in just under two months. As scary as it may be, I can't wait to see where I'll be in a such a short time and where this journey will take me. I'm excited for a new adventure and to see how these three months in Italy will change and shape me into the person I will become.