To those of you studying abroad, you know how incredible the experience has been so far! The food, people, culture...and it's more than halfway over.

I personally am extremely close to my family, so leaving for Florence, Italy was an exciting but daunting task. Freshman year, I thought going to school in another state 4 hours away was a huge deal!

Behind all of the anticipation of the semester ahead was anxiety and nerves. How would I deal with a 6-hour time difference? What if I need advice from my mom, but she can't readily be available?

Paired with sadness was a ton of self-doubt. I wondered if I was capable of doing this—capable of living in another country for a whole 4 months without seeing my family.

The first week was by far the hardest. I was utterly out of my comfort zone, seemingly alone in Italy. All of my friends and roommates seemed to acclimate much smoother than I was, and I felt like maybe I had made a mistake coming here.

For a while, I tried to mask my emotions, which obviously didn't work. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I couldn't be the only person missing their hometown and their family.

As soon as I opened up about how I was feeling, I instantly felt more at home. Everyone I talked to was also feeling homesick, just expressing it in different ways. I've come to the conclusion that it is TOTALLY OKAY TO MISS YOUR FAMILY AND HOME. You can still enjoy your travels without feeling guilty you miss your parents. You can feel both at the same time; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

I've also learned that if you never find yourself in a position of discomfort of the unknown, you are never growing. The opportunity to study abroad is so unique and rare, so seize the day!

I still cannot wait until I hug *and never let go lol* of my family once May rolls around, but I've learned to make Florence my second home. I have gained confidence through my travels, which is something I never would have had the chance to do if I never went abroad and left my comfort zone.

I am now the world traveling homebody... because I can be.