It is that time of year. If you are planning on going abroad, you are most likely running around campus from building to building trying to get all of the signatures you need, desperately trying to get the paperwork done for your Visa, and dreaming about the adventure you are about to embark upon. You are probably stalking the Facebook pages of those who have previously gone abroad to your respective cities, freaking out about how you will possibly get all of your clothes to another country in just a suitcase or two, and wishing that life had a fast-forward button. As someone who went abroad spring semester last year, I get it.

I could go on for days telling you about the beautiful cities I saw, the amazing people I met, or the things I learned about myself on my amazing journey. But, that’s a story for another day. There are so many things that I wish I knew before I had gone abroad and if I could travel back to this time last year and tell myself these things, I would. But since I can’t, I’ll tell you.

1. The abroad guidelines that you will receive from friends and family are just that—guidelines.

I cannot stress this enough. You probably know a person or two (or ten) who have been to the city you will be going to. A lot of the times, this person or two (or ten) will have some sort of “abroad bible” to give you. This abroad bible will be some sort of list of everything you should do while you’re in your city including: restaurants, attractions, and more likely than not; bars and clubs. It will say something like, “On Mondays, go to ____ bar. On Tuesdays, go to ____ bar. On Saturdays go to ___ bar etc.” While these suggestion are great, and you probably should check out all of these places; this list is NOT definitive. You only have four months to explore your new home, and you should not spend the entire time only doing the things that other people have told you that you should do. Explore. Take this time to discover new places for yourself, not for anybody else. This is your chance to make your own, personal “abroad bible” from scratch, and you should do just that.

2. You can and will survive without Wi-Fi.

I know you think you can’t, but you can. If you are like me, your parents are refusing to fund an all around the world data plan. So, if you plan on traveling outside of your city, it is inevitable that you will run into, what I like to call, the Oh Shit There’s No Wi-Fi predicament. Since you were old enough to drive, you have been using Google Maps to get from place to place and the tables are about turn on you. You are about to be exploring a city you have never been to with people speaking a language you have never spoken, and that is scary. How will you survive without your phone? Have no fear. Well, Google Maps is your BEST friend. You can use it without Wi-Fi as long as you type in the location you want to go to while you are still on Wi-Fi in your hotel, hostel, café etc. It will tell you exactly how to use the public transportation available and how to get to where you want to go. That little blue dot will be your guiding light throughout your travels; I promise.

3. It’s OK to do things by yourself.

As long as you feel that it is safe to do so, obviously. Sometimes, there are going to be things you want to do that your friends aren’t that into. Or maybe, everybody is just a little too hung over to go to that museum you really wanted to see, or that pastry shop you saw yesterday that you wanted to check out. In these situations, get out there and do what you came to this city to do, experience it. Some of my most memorable moments are the ones where I was doing things on my own. It makes it easier to really look around you and take in how truly lucky you are to be where you are.

4. Your adventure won't be perfect.

But, it will be amazing. Right now you probably have a picture in your head of how this is going to go. You’re going to hop on a plane, and when you land you will be Hillary Duff in the Lizzie McGuire Movie. You will throw on your abroad hat and have a perfect and unforgettable 4 months. Yes, your adventure will be unforgettable, but it will not be perfect. You are going to run into challenges. There are going to be language and cultural barriers, you are going to get lost, you are going to take a train in the wrong direction, you are going to eat too much, you are going to drink too much, you are going to miss your flight or lose your luggage, and everything in between. And that is good. You are going abroad, yes to travel and explore, but also to come into yourself. These challenges are what is going to make going abroad so amazing for you because they are going to change you. I am grateful for every moment abroad, the good and the bad, the ups and the downs. Embrace it all, go into this experience with an open mind and open heart and I promise you, you will come back home a better version of yourself.

Get ready, and get excited. When you get on that plane, you will be getting on the wildest ride of your life.