Big trips like study abroad are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people. It's a time to explore something that might be completely new to you. Not only are you on your own, but you're exploring someone else's world. Here are five signs that you may be on your way to your study abroad trip.
1. You've started carrying your passport with you everywhere you go.
Like any kind of study abroad program, both the program and your school will need all of your passport information! You have been asked for your passport about five or six times every week (or so it feels) so you've started carrying it in your purse. It feels like every time you try to submit another form or talk to another advisor, they ask for it and a copy of every item you'll ever use for your study abroad trip too.
Pro tip: get a cute holder for your passport!
2. You've switched your time to the 24-hour clock, and temperature to celsius.
Almost every other country in the world runs on Celsius, 24-hour time, and a strange thing people call the metric system. Get yourself used to 10 degrees being pretty decent and the fact that time can go past the numerical value of 12. It's an odd feeling saying that it's 15 hundred, but you get used to it eventually.
3. Your Pinterest page has blown up.
You've created seven new boards in the last few weeks to keep up with your different obsessions about your country. You've got a page dedicated to the cutest umbrellas, just in case it rains while you're over there. Your other pages include outfits, life hacks for that country, foods, travel destinations around the area, hobbies, and you still have one about cute cats.. not sure why, but you do.
4. You've practiced an accent, even if there's no accent in the country you're going to.
"'ello" "hallooooo" "cheers" "sup" "shalom" (???) You may not be sure, but you will stare at the mirror for hours practicing those strange sounds that Americans are somehow so attracted to. It's okay, you'll get there. Just keep publicly humiliating yourself until you do.
5. You've started Googling how much it would cost to end up living there.
Your friends call you lucky and adventurous, and your parents throw a fit, but you've brought up the topic of moving to your study abroad location every chance you can get. Because, let's face it, you're the kind of person that isn't afraid of taking a leap and not only studying somewhere, but living there too. How else are you going to really get to know the country?! And how else are you supposed to keep the love of your life around?
At the end of the day, make sure you do a few things: explore the world, every chance you get, soak up every single moment while you're there - and make sure to tell your stories. Write things down! You never know how much you will forget or how quickly. Most importantly, never take any of the opportunities that lay ahead of you for granted. Now pack up and go live in the world!
