Reflections on going from study abroad to graduation

So here is a little secret: I am a second semester senior in university, meaning my last semester of college I was studying abroad. Which means that my arrival, re-entry, and departure from Europe was one whirlwind of emotions. But truthfully, I would not have it any other way. Thus, in the spirit of reflection, here are my largest takeaways from studying abroad through the lens of someone who just finished their academic career.

Saying Goodbyes

Back in December, I had the hard yet emotional task of saying my goodbyes. Unlike many of my peers and friends, these good-byes were more permanent. After all, I was going away to France, and was unsure when, or how, I would return back to Cleveland. While the experience of saying these farewells was lonely and scary , I was able to pivot these meaningful relationships I have had through undergraduate into more of an “adult” and “mature” type of friendship. Having a head start on that process boosted my confidence for when the diploma ceremony came by already having that baseline of knowing who's in my corner, and who perhaps may not be. 

What this meant is that I started the process of getting closure, of un-anchoring myself from the undergraduate way of life, much earlier compared to some of my peers. As I will discuss later, this made my brief return incredibly valuable. But, then in December, it was tough and isolating, as very few people have embarked on this type of journey. 

It was really sad to have to say goodbye earlier, but I truly was able to live on, in stories, spam text messages, and late night FaceTime calls.  

Learning to live by myself

Through my experience abroad, the same worries as many of my friends back in the states remained: the fear of the real world outside of undergraduate. Though this is where being abroad really boosted my confidence. I was able to successfully make meaningful friendships, cook and clean for myself, and go on various adventures, both with friends and solo. As I joke, if I can deal with calling a locksmith in French, I can deal with whatever crazy problem occurs once I live on my own here in the states. This was a massive confidence boost, and I somehow, at the end of this whole experience, actually enjoyed cooking for, and living, by myself. 

Maybe something about making food in France is just different, and maybe the strength form being able to navigate between two languages and cultures is a super power. But at the end of all of this, I am a much more confident and individual person. 

Race back to Cleveland

Fast forward to the end of my program, this is where the craziness and logistics of managing both last semester and study abroad responsibilities collapse into one. I imagine for most people, this would not be as crazy, but alas…

The day after our program ended (the final day, if you will), I left one one of the first flights out of Nice airport. By 7pm EDT the next day, I was back on my university campus, jet-lagged, a little confused, but surrounded by the same friends whose relationships I cherished while abroad. The departure from France was quick and rather unserious, but still fraught with emotion, tears, and recalling the memories that have gone by prior. 

From there until my diploma ceremony, I was able to truly enjoy being able to reconnect with my old friends, professors, and colleagues. Since I already had moved out and started the process of getting closure with this chapter of my life, I was able to dedicate a lot more time and energy to living in the present. This is because I knew that from December on, my time in Cleveland was set to be temporary, meaning I could just enjoy the experiences and the connections I made.

This is not to say that it wasn’t still hard to say goodbye to my friends back in Cleveland, but in fact quite the opposite. But by having already kept, if not grown, friendships when I was 4,300 away made me confident that such standards can be kept into the long term adult world.   

So…do I regret it?

Not at all. My rationale for going abroad in January is still the same I tell people when I get asked about it to this day, as being able to have that one in a lifetime experience before I start a new chapter in life. I wouldn’t necessarily encourage a prospective student to study abroad their last semester of college, but if the cards didn’t line up to study some other time, then I would give it an enthusiastic yes.

Even if sorting out the academic and social aspects of leaving the end of your collegiate experience are tough, draining, and scary, I feel that the rewards on both those aspects, and also rewards unique to living abroad for a few months, greatly outweigh the negatives. For me, it’s a game of maximizing my experiences, and I am so elated to have studied abroad, even if it was during an odd time of my academic life. 

Oh and did I say? I graduated from college a little over a week later!