Between Staying and Going

If you are on the fence about spending a semester abroad, this post is for you. Deciding to leave home for months can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like the choice will define a major chapter of your college life. I’m sharing my thought process in the hope that it helps make the decision feel a little less daunting.

1. FOMO doesn’t exist. One of my biggest worries when starting this process was the fear of missing out. All the people I knew would still be in New York and I would be…elsewhere. Friends would hang out and I wouldn’t be there. Birthdays and celebrations would happen and I wouldn’t be there. And while it’s true that life continues while you’re abroad, the reality is that you’re not missing out on some life-altering moment that will leave you behind. The people who matter, the ones who genuinely care, will carry you with them throughout the entire semester. You won’t be forgotten just because you’re physically somewhere else. Fomo is a mindset, not a reality. Sometimes stepping away is exactly what lets you experience the things worth remembering.

2. YOLO. You really do only live once. There will be only a small number of times in your life where you can whisk yourself off to a different country and explore to your heart’s content. This is your chance to study the things that aren’t built into your degree. This is your chance to meet people outside the lines of your campus. If you’re like me, this is your chance to experience a spring semester without snow!  It may seem daunting and scary, and honestly, it might feel that way at first. But, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone will arm you with an array of life lessons that will support you for the rest of your life. 

3. BRB. At the end of all of this, you will be right back. You’re not disappearing, you’re just stepping away for a moment. You’ll return to the friends you miss, the routines you love, and the places that feel like home. And honestly? Think about how incredible the story times will be. The best thing is that you’ll return with a new mindset, new perspectives, and a deeper appreciation for the everyday joy of living.

Deciding where to study may feel a bit intimidating, so let me share my thought process in doing so:

I knew I wanted to study in a place with a strong cultural identity in order to deeply enrich my time abroad. I wanted to learn about things that weren’t cells and genes. I wanted to be active and spend time outdoors. Attending school in upstate New York could get dreary and cold at times. Like really, really cold. For most of the year, the amount of sun and outdoor activity I got was extremely limited. I wanted to hike, bike, go on runs, frolic on a beach, and walk everywhere. Barcelona is a great mix of city and beach with IES Abroad having classes that span from Anthropology to Music. As an added bonus, I study Spanish in school (fingers crossed, fluency here I come). I truly wanted to be in a place that was completely different from where I attend university. Would it be scary, intimidating, and even uncomfortable at times? Probably. But I would walk away with a unique set of memories that I wouldn’t have been able to obtain at my home institution.

Then, all that was left was to submit the application and mentally prepare myself to venture out. This is a whole different story on its own, but once I had committed to IES Barcelona, the excitement began. Coming up on being almost 2 days before the start of classes, I am so glad I took those first two steps. 

It may feel overwhelming- it certainly did for me—but I cannot wait to see what the next four months holds!