Balancing Travel With Academics While Studying Abroad

One of the hardest parts of studying abroad is figuring out how to balance school with the constant urge to travel. When you’re in Europe, it feels like every country is just a cheap train ride or flight away, and you have the itch to travel every weekend. But at the same time… you still have classes, readings, and deadlines that don’t magically disappear just because you’re in a different country. It took me a while to figure out a balance that didn’t leave me constantly stressed and burned out, and even then I cut it a bit close sometimes!

The biggest lesson: look at your syllabus before you book anything. If you book weekend trips on a whim, there can be an exam you can’t study for or a project you didn’t give yourself adequate time to finish. I look at what’s due each week before I commit to travel, and it drastically reduces my stress level when I am on trips and especially when I get back. IES Abroad was very helpful in this area because they gave us a calendar right at the beginning listing appropriate weekends for travel and the weeks where we may have Friday make-up classes or mandatory field trips. 

Another thing that helps is using weekdays for school and saving weekends for travel. It sounds obvious, but when you’re abroad, it’s easy to get swept up in the “I want to explore every day” mindset. I try to get the bulk of my work done Monday through Thursday, including readings, assignments, anything that would stress me out if I left it unfinished. I’m definitely not always sticking to this schedule, but even being slightly more organized during the week makes weekends feel way more relaxing.

I’ve also learned that you don’t need to travel every weekend. I know it feels like you’re wasting your time abroad if you’re not constantly hopping between cities, but honestly, taking breaks is essential. Travel is amazing, but it’s also tiring. Early flights, long walking days, late nights, and figuring out public transport in a new country take more energy than you think. Some of my favorite weekends have actually been the ones I spent staying in my Vienna, going to a new brunch place, exploring the Christmas markets, or just catching up on sleep so I am ready to hit the ground running next week. You are also living in a new city! It is important to be familiar with it and explore the area where you are!

Another helpful tip is to plan at least one reset day after your trips. For me, that day is Wednesday. I use that time to unpack, do laundry, grocery shop, and get on top of my work for the next few days. This helps me feel more prepared and organized for the week!

And finally, give yourself some grace. Studying abroad is chaotic, a new country, new school, new friendships, new routines. You’re not going to balance everything perfectly, and that’s okay. Some weeks will be more academic and some will feel like a whirlwind of travel. But that’s the point! Studying abroad is amazing, stressful, and exciting all at the same time, and learning to manage it all is part of the experience!