Thoughts From a Second-Time Study Abroad Student

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Alexa Hankins
 September 1, 2025
As I prepared for my impending study abroad journey this week, I found myself having a full-circle moment. That’s because my IES Abroad semester in Berlin won’t be my first study abroad experience.
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The first time I went abroad was during my second semester at BU, when I went to London for six weeks in an accelerated academic program. At this point, I had only spent a few months living outside my hometown in Maine. My past experiences navigating cities were almost nonexistent: before the MBTA, my public transportation experiences consisted of a cable car ride in San Francisco when I was twelve.
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This is all to say that living in London was a massive transition for me. It was an incredibly accelerated time for me in terms of personal growth, but I also made plenty of classic study abroad mistakes! Here’s what I’ll be doing the second time around:
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  1. Know What to Expect on Touchdown- This might be obvious, but everyone should have their logistics covered for their first day! Know exactly what steps you have to go through in the airport. Have a SIM card or international plan selected. Buy an adaptor or a local charger beforehand to pack. Plan exactly how you’re going to get to the student center, especially with other people in your program, so you can travel together! Also, figure out a backup plan if you’re someone who gets overwhelmed with public transportation on the day of- no shame, it happens.
  2. Packing Every Single Toiletry- Contrary to popular belief, I found that leaving the big bottles of hair products at home was not worth the extra luggage space- having to navigate beauty stores with all-new brands was a hassle. Also, carrying over your everyday routines from home can be incredibly grounding. I don’t go anywhere without my self care routine, even for a weekend trip.
  3. Actively Reflecting- In addition to this blog, I want to start junk journaling as a way to commemorate my time abroad (and beyond). I don’t really enjoy social media, plus, as an avid museumgoer, I often save tickets, guidebooks, etc as souvenirs. So what better way to commemorate museum days than by scrapbooking them? If I can actually stick to this goal, I’ll share entries in my future blog posts.
  4. Going Outside the Student Bubble-  I want to start my thoughts here by saying that I am very excited to meet my fellow Berlin program students! However, I believe I missed out last time I lived abroad by not trying to get involved in any local spaces (especially since I had the shared language advantage last time). I noticed on Google Maps that there’s a pilates studio a few blocks from my apartment, so I’ll try to join if the price is reasonable.
 
This all being said, I don’t consider past study abroad experience necessary to be prepared for your journey. The number one thing anyone can do to be ready for takeoff is to check and answer your email frequently, communicate with your advisor (shoutout Sabrina!), and keep track of all your necessary documents and the resources given to you. Also, remember to actively reflect on your experience to make your time abroad as meaningful as possible!
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