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Three things to remember when you’re studying abroad
by Student, Addie M.
I have less than a month left before I get on a plane headed for France…

…and there’s a lot of thoughts swirling around in my head right now. Am I prepared? What’s going to happen when I get there? Will I make friends?

However, I’m trying to remember to think about what’s important, especially what will be important once I’m actually in a different country. Here are three things no one should forget while studying abroad.

 

1. Be curious and open-minded.

 It’s certainly scary living in another country for almost a month without your family or anyone you know. The language, food, and culture are entirely different from that of the United States, so it’s easy to slide into a closed-off mindset and not try new things. Of course, this is totally natural- most of us are afraid of change or things that are different than our normal world, which is completely understandable.

But the whole reason you choose to study abroad is to be adventurous, learn, and grow. So one of the most important things we should all remember is to keep an open mind. If you’re afraid to try a new food or a new experience, just remind yourself that it’s a part of the journey to be scared or hesitant, but that doesn’t mean you should shy away from being brave.

 

2. Appreciate the little things.

 As I mentioned above, I’m pretty nervous to fly internationally by myself and then live in another country, also by myself, for longer than I’ve ever been away from home. As humans, we have a tendency to start looking at the big picture and ignoring the small details when we get nervous, so it’s crucial to slow down and appreciate the little things.

I have a feeling I’ll need to tell myself to literally stop and smell the roses because I only have three weeks to spend in France. The things that we remember from incredible trips are often the small details, like watching shoppers at the market pick over the gorgeous display of fresh vegetables, or the smell of fresh-baked bread wafting from the open door of a bakery. Wonderful things go by fast, and I want to savor every moment I get.

 

3. Make the best of every situation.

When you travel, things go wrong. That’s just how it works. It rains when you go hiking, you lose your luggage, or the hotel doesn’t have wifi. Letting things like that get the best of me is an issue I know I’ll face when I leave for France, but I’m going to keep reminding myself to stay optimistic.

Even if things are nothing like I expect, I’m still going to have fun and learn new things. I have this picture in my head of what my three weeks in France will be like, and it’s pretty likely that that picture is wrong. However, different doesn’t mean bad.  And I can guarantee that things aren’t going to be what I expect them to be because nothing ever is.

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