How to make the most of your experience studying abroad anywhere!
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Break out of your comfort zone
Try things you wouldn’t normally or hadn’t tried at all before going abroad! Whether it’s food, opportunities to be independent, to travel, meet new people, or anything else. Studying abroad is a perfect time to try to step outside of your comfort zone, and grow as an individual!
Connect with people before going
Find people at your school who may be going to the same country or city as you. This could provide some people (like myself) some level of comfort in just knowing that there will be others that you are friends with in the same place. Even better, reach out to some alumni from the program you are doing. Ask them questions, see how their experience was, find out what surprised them, what their favorite and least favorite parts were, and more!
Make new friends
Try to meet new people, even if you are going abroad in a program that several of your friends are in as well. Meet other American students through classes and through mutual friends! Meet local students through classes, CIEE trips and activities, and by getting involved locally in the city!
Do your homework
Although school is definitely different abroad than it is in the United States, still do your homework! In Spain, the grading system is drastically different, and many final grades will just consist of a midterm and a final, or a paper. Some professors give optional homework, and some give homework that does count towards your grade. Either way, just do it, stay on top of your coursework, and it’ll save some stress at the end of the semester!
Travel around
Take advantage of how cheap and easy it is to travel around Europe once you are already there. I was so lucky to be able to travel to so many places while I was studying abroad in Barcelona, including London, Dublin, Vienna, and numerous cities in Spain. Travelling, by plane or train, is extremely cheap and very easy once you are already there, so make sure to hit some cities on your bucket list!
Explore the city
While you should take advantage of travel opportunities, don’t forget to explore the city you are living in! Familiarize yourself with it, take long walks and see what you find, spend some weekends doing local activities, and appreciate it!
Stay safe
Most importantly, stay safe! For tips on safety, especially as a female traveler, check out my other blog post: “Studying abroad as a female student: Barcelona gender norms and safety tips”!
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