In less than three weeks I will be boarding a plane to London, where I will live for the next five to six months. Wow. Don’t get me wrong, I am more than excited and thrilled to have been given such an amazing opportunity, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t experienced some nervous jittery feelings just thinking about it over the past few weeks.

Almost everyone I know who has studied abroad, whether for two weeks or two months, or even a year, has returned with an obvious renewed passion for life and all that it has to offer. They tell stories of new friends, great experiences, and delicious food. But somehow all of these stories, instead of reassuring me that I, too, will also have the best time of my life, are making me nervous that my experience won’t live up to what I have heard; that somehow my study abroad trip will be more difficult or not quite as fun as I expect.

But here’s the thing about traveling: it is what you make it. Sometimes it will be challenging. Living in another country, regardless of what you think you understand, is a completely new and different experience. Even London, which you could argue is not quite so different from large cities in the US, has its own set of customs and laws that are vastly different from anything I might have experienced in, say, New York City. The trick is to be prepared and ready to face things you may not have considered or experienced; to keep an open mind and reserve judgment until you have time to settle in. While you’re abroad, there is so much opportunity to learn and grow – and collect some of the best memories – but that doesn’t mean that everything will come easily or simply fall into place. I think part of the beauty in travel and culture shock is the initial struggle.