As my semester studying abroad in Granada, Spain comes to a close, I wanted to put together a list of my top 10 tips for studying abroad that would have been helpful to read before I embarked on this adventure. These are in no particular order. Some of these apply to studying abroad in general but some of them are specific to Spain.  

As I go into the final week of my program here in London, I am grateful to have been able to spend my time here with my new friends. I remember when I first landed in London back in September, I was so worried about making sure that I made friends. Being abroad was all new to me at first, but now I have made so many amazing friends that will continue on even after the end of my program. 

The journey of studying abroad is a big one, even exciting for most. You have all these ideas and views of how your study abroad journey is going to go. The kinds of friends you’re going to make, the food you’re going to eat, and the places that you’ll be able to explore. Those are the many things people think of when studying abroad. I was one of those people, and these things are mostly true.

It’s finals week starting tomorrow, and it’s quite unreal that my semester abroad has come to an end. For the past two weeks, many of my professors have talked to the class about going back to the States and what that might be like. They kept mentioning “reentry shock,” and how it will require time for us to readjust to living in America. Re-entry shock, simply put, is the shock you experience when you return home. More easily put, it’s reverse culture shock.

The hours before I land on the North American continent can be counted on one hand.

As we wind down to the holiday season and the end of the semester...Christmas is one of France’s biggest holidays celebrated and one of my favorite holidays. Christmas in France is not only a season but a mindset for many of the French. They may not have the big decorations inside of their home, but it is what they do on the outside that counts.

I’ve lived in Dublin for a few months now so it only makes sense that I should wildly generalize and make some sweeping statements about my “must do things” of the city. 

It’s no secret that when you study abroad in Europe, you kind of have the entire continent at your disposal. For some people that means visiting a different country every weekend, while for others it doesn’t mean anything. During my time in Spain, I decided to go for a mix of exploring my host country and taking a look around the E.U., and I wanted to share with y’all some things I learned during those travels. 

When I was considering all of my options for studying abroad, I fancied quite a few places, but my mind always seemed to circle back to London. London seemed to be the place where I could picture myself living, and had the best opportunities for me. I have not regretted my decision to study here once. I truly believe that I was intended to be here and live here, and I can wholeheartedly say that I absolutely am in love with this city. 

Character