Studying abroad is the most amazing experience, one that you could have never imagined unless you actually did it. One difference between studying abroad and spending your semester at your home university is that when the semester starts winding down, you become very sad instead of ready to start the summer.
After spring break, you start to realize the weeks are flying by and you only have a short amount of time left in your new favorite country. You now realize that you have to start doing everything that you thought you had so much time to do. Now you begin going to dinner every night because there are so many restaurants you want to try in so little time. You start going to all of these museums so that you can take in all of the art work before you no longer have the opportunity to.
You start to become upset every time you go to one of your favorite places, not just because you are going to miss it so much, but also because you do not know when it will be your last time there. You wonder if it is going to be the last time you get your favorite panini. You wonder if it is going to be the last time you go to that restaurant that is amazing but a little far away from your apartment.
The second half of the semester is a very painful time. While you are trying to explore the city you have not touched yet, but all the work you have been putting off is slowly starting to creep up on you. Sorry to shock you, but yes there is school work that has to be done as well while you are here. It may seem like all fun and games, but you are here for another reason as well. Even if your grades transfer as Pass/Fail, you still have to at least pass your classes. So at the end of the semester abroad, be prepared to make some tough choices between exploring your city and doing your work.
You start to think about the beginning of the semester. It is so weird because while it feels like it was so long ago, it also feels like the first half of the semester went by in the blink of an eye. Although you have done so much already, you begin thinking that you haven't one anything yet.
You also start to realize that you have a limited time with the friends that you have made over the course of the semester. Whether they be your roommates or people you have met in your classes, you become upset because you don't know if you will ever see them again. You have created such bonds with them, you know it is going to be very hard to leave them in a few short weeks.
My advice to you is to treasure your time abroad with all of your heart, because before you know it, you will be on your 8 hour plane ride back home, sobbing, and wondering how the semester flew by so quickly.
