Even as my excitement to depart for Milan rises, I can’t help but feel just the tiniest bit anxious as I wonder whether I will fit in or find my people during my time abroad. Especially as someone partaking in a shorter summer program (compared to a full semester) and doing a full-time internship, I’ll be honest: it’s not just a speck of anxiety - it feels more like a tidal wave of worries. 

Will my coworkers like me? What if I don’t fit in? Who will I talk to at lunch? What if I miss home?

Here I am, sitting in my bed at home for the first time in five months. It feels surreal, like studying abroad was a distant dream and I just woke up from the longest nap of my life. However, the contacts in my phone and the pictures in my camera helped me conclude that for the past five months I was in fact on the journey of a lifetime. The friends and memories I have made are irreplaceable and I would not have changed my situation for the world. 

Studying abroad can be super exciting, but between choosing your location and beginning preparations, the stress can overshadow the thrill. But you don’t have to worry, because I have some helpful tips to help YOU prepare to study abroad, no matter where you choose to go!

1. Make a planning checklist

My semester in Berlin fundamentally changed who I am and the way I think about the world. I learned to love solo traveling, became inspired by Berlin’s creative scene, and met people from across the world. I also gained much more nuanced opinions about urban planning, international relations, and cultural differences. These are all things that I will carry with me as I finish my education and move into my career.

Hi everybody, I’m Jason and I’ll be blogging my experiences in Berlin this summer. As I sit here writing this, I am not yet in Berlin but in the comfort of my home near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It’s surreal, knowing that I made a decision last year to go abroad somewhat on a whim. I had been doing research on what to expect out of an internship abroad and the city of Berlin, but I was never able to find enough information that warranted the leap of faith. So, I took the jump anyway and now, here I am a few days away from boarding a flight and starting a new chapter in my life.

Hello, hello, hello! We have reached the end of my journey in Berlin and this is my final blog. I'm going to share, as well as revisit, some of my biggest tips if you are going to study abroad! As I said in my last blog, I have learned so much from being in Berlin for these past four months. I believe that these tips are what really made my time better and got me through not being at home for such a long period of time. I am so grateful for the experience and I hope that you too will be able to take in the study abroad opportunities for all they have to offer!