I was astounded by the array of subjects students could choose to study at Oxford. From Italian cuisine, to the history of wine and dressmaking, it seemed like there was something for everyone. I even had my own field day when I saw that I could study the economics of crime (which ultimately fell through due to my school's unnecessary limitations). But as I started to look even deeper into the courses that Oxford students have taken in the past, I noticed that there were none that focused solely on any aspect of Black life.

I prayed to make a few friends during my time abroad, and I got just that. I initially envisioned being surrounded by a large group of people and growing close with most of them, but I found peace and happiness in the end result. One note I'd like to make to anyone who may also be more reserved like me is that you should never force yourself to foster relationships with more people than you're genuinely interested in. I've made that mistake in so many different stages in my life, and I am blessed to finally understand and embrace my own boundaries.

As I prepared to register for my last set of classes at my home institution, I met with my (amazing) advisor. Of course, we did a deep dive into my transcript and ensured that I was on track for graduation, but we ultimately segued into a discussion about an issue we've both noticed is intensifying.

As you may know (hopefully you do, most of my blogs go along this vein) I am in the theater studies program of IES Abroad London. This is the first time during my four years at college that I have taken a full theater semester. A very special characteristic of this program is that we get to train with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) for six weeks. This short-course program is called “Ages & Stages of English Drama," and as its name suggests, it has everything to do with English Drama.

As I start to near the end of my abroad experience in Milano, I wanted to share all the things I will miss about being here. 

My birthday was plagued with surprises. My friend Bri gifted me one of the best presents ever: a ticket to watch a pantomime (panto as commonly known). A pantomime is a type of musical comedy stage production, usually for family entertainment. My professor Marina urged us to watch a panto, as it is a one-of-a-kind experience of British theater. She was not wrong. However, she was most definitely suggesting a traditional panto. The production we watched was not particularly a traditional panto per se, it was definitely not an all-family affair.

Hi again. As I am finishing the end of my study abroad experience in Milan, I just wanted to share all the things I wish I knew before arriving. 

1. Fashion

So generally a typical day in my life in Milan is not as exciting as the weekends I have spent abroad. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have to wake up early for my 9 a.m. Italian class. I always struggle to get to this class haha. I typically set an alarm for 7:30 a.m. and snooze it once, especially if I was up late the night before. Then I quickly get ready and I eat breakfast. My homestay family always has coffee made for me in the Moka and the table is set for breakfast. I typically am eating after they have both left for work but it depends on the day.

I knew from the get-go that studying abroad was going to change my life. I didn’t know how, of course, nor did I know the ways I would react to certain aspects of studying abroad, especially given my mental health history. I had very poor mental health throughout my teens, and in the past couple of years I’ve seen lots of improvement, but it’s a tricky edge on which I could easily slip. I knew that keeping my mental health good, or at least okay, was going to be a task in itself.  Before leaving the U.S.