Working and planning amidst summer fun
There is something about summertime that can bring you back to your childhood. Sitting on a beach with your eyes closed, focusing only on the sounds of the waves and seagulls, can make it almost seem like it was any day, any year, anytime.
Perhaps a time when you didn’t have a job, didn’t have any plans ahead of what was for dinner, and the only “work” you had was your summer reading for English class. Sadly, those days are gone.
Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity, but that doesn’t mean it happens overnight. If you leave in the fall like I do, that leaves you with a whole summer to prep, but it’s a lot less time than you think.
Between wrangling with your adviser trying to squeeze as much information as possible out of them, as well as trying to apply for any and all jobs to make some travel money, there is barely a minute for you to think of how in the world you are going to fit 5 months of clothes into one suitcase.
Needless to say, it’s been a little stressful. Such a big trip takes a lot of planning. From Visas to living accommodations, to plane tickets, it can feel overwhelming. And it’s fairly hard to think of responsibilities when you actually are on a beach listening to the water roar or hanging out with friends who are not studying abroad.
But just because you are avoiding planning that day doesn’t mean your trip is magically going to manage itself. My advice would be to take it all one step at a time, get in contact with your school adviser as well as your international one, and be very patient.
Often people will take a while to get back to you. While it may feel like it is the end of the world if you don’t get your information AT THIS VERY MOMENT, it will be fine. Everyone has bigger fish to fry than one college student freaking out over plans.
I cannot wait to study abroad. I also cannot wait to be done with this planning hellhole. I am told that the hardest part of studying abroad is actually getting over there.
So until then,
-Lindsey
