As November unfolds, college students across the United States find themselves caught in a whirlwind of last-minute assignments, aching for a break, and yearning to return home for the Thanksgiving holiday. The quintessential scenes of turning on the TV to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and relishing in a filling Thanksgiving meal surrounded by family are etched into the American college experience. It's a time when parents pamper their children, providing a much-needed respite from the demands of academia.

I believe most of us who want to or are already ready to study abroad are anxious to know about the experience and get settled. I thought it would be helpful to share a day-to-day week in my life, not only as a student studying in Rome but also doing an internship.

I've always been more busy than I've acknowledged. Since I was a child, I've always been involved in a gazillion different things, whether they're extracurriculars, academic endeavors, volunteering, etc. That's just a part of my life that I don't think (nor want) to ever change. I haven't been as involved on Oxford's campus as I'd hoped (in terms of clubs and societies), but I've definitely been focused on so much more that's going on with my professional and academic careers.

I am highly aware of the situation I am in; I am blessed with the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Oxford. From my home institution, I've served as the introduction for HBCU students coming to Oxford. That is rewarding within itself, but it came with a great deal of commitment and responsibility. Many people in this world want to be the first and/or greatest to do something, but when they're daydreaming about whatever it is they want to do, I fear that they don't consider the preparation and "works" that is required in order for these dreams to come into fruition.

On the last weekend of November, we went on one of the last DiscoverIES experiences of the semester: a trip to Edinburgh! Let me just start by saying that I was incredibly excited about traveling by train with all my close friends around me. 

Sage, Bri, and I made sure that the vibes were immaculate by bursting into song every now and then (this was such a recurring reality, that we ended up creating a playlist). Our go to was definitely “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. A classic. 

To be honest, I expected to be completely deprived of good food during my trip abroad to London and Oxford. Neither places are particularly known for their cuisine. If anything, the UK gets a lot of slack for their most popular dishes, and I was not happy with idea of surviving off of fish and chips for three months. I made it a point to eat all of my favorite foods over the summer before my departure from home, and every chew was coupled with a tear of sadness from the distance that would temporarily set me apart from such amazing dishes.