One thing that I have learned from this experience in Dublin is that it is OK to be alone. Not in the sense of living by yourself, but in the sense of learning to be OK with being your own best friend.

At first I was nervous about this new experience of going and working abroad, not living on a university campus to back me up. To make things even more anxiety provoking, my peers had already been here for two weeks and had the chance to form bonds before I even got here. Given this fact, I was not surprised by the fact that adapting socially would not exactly be a walk in the park. Initially it was was hard, and it continues to be hard, but I constantly remind myself that this is nothing personal. Circumstances prevented me from arriving earlier, and yeah, that sucks, but its life. Secondly, I constantly repeat to myself the wonderful words that my beloved life coach tells me: I have all the internal strength that I need to keep going.

Now I am not going to lie to you. What I have done and what I have been dealing with abroad is very, very difficult. There are times when I feel extremely lonely, homesick, and even helpless. No matter how many times I go abroad, that feeling still impacts me and no amount of abroad experiences will bring me above it. That brings me to the next part of my healing process, which is acceptance. I accept the way that I am feeling and realize that it is very legitimate. I say this to myself and I say this to my friends and peers as well-never undermine the power of your emotions. Let the tears flow, and don’t try to mask them. Trust me, it makes it worse. Tell yourself that what you have internally is more than enough, whether or not you believe it at the time.

This weekend I am doing something that I have not done before, I am going on my own on a weekend excursion. I rented my own room at a bed and breakfast and I am so thrilled that I will be spending my last week here exploring and living in the moment on my own. What you don’t hear every day is that, going off on your own is a beautiful experience. I came to this realization when I talked to my oldest friend who studied abroad in Vienna and spent a good portion of the semester traveling and exploring by herself. Like I have challenged myself, I challenge you all to do the same. If you can, go out of your comfort zone and explore on your own. Do something for you that you have always wanted to do. Do not be afraid to be alone. As Kelly Clarkson so wisely puts it: “Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone. Because trust me, when you’re by yourself, you’re not alone. You’re all you need."