I have wanted to travel all over the world since I was a little kid. When I got to high school and started learning about college study abroad programs I knew it was something I wanted to experience. When I got to college and started looking at programs I quickly realized that because of my major and on-campus commitments, going abroad for a semester was impossible. Thankfully, I found a summer program that would let me spend two months in Dublin, while still taking classes that were helpful for my major.

When I got to Ireland I tried to limit my expectations. I wanted to be able to enjoy my experience without trying to micromanage everything or make sure the experience lived up to some arbitrary expectations. Of course, as soon as I was settled in and had gotten to know the people I was with I realized that this was going to be better than anything I could have possibly imagined.

I was thrown into a new city in a new country with people I had never met and the only way to make sense of any of it was to jump in feet first. I quickly developed friendships with the people I was living with and we helped each other find our way around navigating the bus system, understanding cultural differences, and buying groceries. This was the first time in my life I had to be completely independent and self-sufficient. I had to cook for myself, manage my budget, and balance the social aspects of the trip while still making time for school. This was unlike life on campus at my college, I had no meal plan or familiar faces everywhere. I was completely on my own. I loved it.

I have always been an independent person, but this experience made me realize that I am capable of being a fully functioning adult. Some of my favorite moments just involved me walking down the street heading to my favorite bookstore. It was in moments like that when I was just another person walking the centuries-old streets, just going about my day like everyone else. In those moments I was hit with a sense of tranquility that made me realize I was ready for this. I knew I was ready to be on my own and to go out and live my life.

Going away to college was the first step I took in my journey to becoming an adult, but being abroad was like sprinting down the course. When the two months were over, I looked back on the person I had been when I arrived. Not to be a cliche, but it feels like those two months aged me two years. I am no longer the little college freshman I was when I decided to go abroad. I have an entirely new perspective that I know will be something I take back to school with me in the fall.

So if you're thinking about going abroad for a month or a semester, do it. Don't worry about how you'll handle the change or how you'll make it work. Just take a leap of faith and jump in feet first.