Riiiiiinnnng!!!! My alarm went off at 5:00 a.m. I jumped out of bed, but I hadn’t slept at all. I was too focused on the last-minute details for my study abroad visa application. I dressed in comfy clothes for the plane and grabbed my shoes and backpack. My roommate Kaitlyn was still in her room getting ready for our flight to San Francisco. We were headed to the VFS Global Center to apply for our Austrian Visas. 

As the days and weeks pass by quickly, I can’t help but feel unprepared to travel and live abroad next semester. My mind is scattered, distracted with the growing checklists and concerns. Some days I am more than excited for the opportunity to explore and experience life in another country, and other days I am overwhelmed and sad about being so far away from the places and people I love. In conversations with friends who are also studying abroad this upcoming semester, I have discovered I am not alone in this feeling.