England, Italy, Ecuador, China, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Peru.
No matter where you studied abroad, you know that study abroad hangover you get about twenty-four hours after you arrive home. Once the thrill of seeing your mom, dad, siblings, boyfriend, girlfriend, kitten, and bed once again wears away, you find yourself undeniably, painfully back in the United States. Jet lag chews at your eyelids. There are no more weekend excursions, trips to bustling markets, dancing with locals, waterfall rappelling trips, or mountains to climb. Your study abroad family scatters in a million directions, back to work, families, and school. All of this combines into a study abroad hangover; the worst gloomy feeling.
In the days after studying abroad, you have stories upon stories. You could talk about it all day. You tell about the time the ATM exploded outside your hostel and it reminds you of playing card games until late at night and that reminds your of getting a sunburn on the Mediterranean. It was the BEST thing ever. After studying abroad, sometimes you need a little moment to remember why your trip was so amazing. I know I did after my trip to Italy two years ago. Let's remember together with some post-study abroad encouragement in the form of relatable reminiscing. Here are six happy memories to soften that lingering study abroad hangover, illustrated by my own study abroad photos:
1. You Realized That You Can Be A New You
Were you shy in the United States? Were you extremely loud? Did you only eat fried food? When you studied abroad, some weird bug bit you and suddenly you became a new person. Sometimes it takes a couple days to open up, but, before you knew it, you took up journaling though you've never written a day in your life, you began eating foods you never dreamed of, and you broke out of your shell and bravely bargained in the market for that cute pair of earrings. Studying abroad placed you in an environment where you were unknown. You were an empty page. Your study abroad peers were at first strangers, your professors only knew you from class, and no one in the country knew you. You discovered that you could be wonderfully authentic.
2. The Food Never Failed
The food is undeniably one of the best parts of study abroad. No matter what country you visited, you picked up new recipes, new taste buds, and a suddenly picky palate that refuses to enjoy the phony food at Olive Garden or Taco Bell. When I studied abroad, I had the lovely people at Bar Duelle in Spoleto, Italy to thank for making me incredibly picky. Check them out! They are amazing.
3. You Found Time For Introspection
One of the best parts of studying abroad is all the time you have to simply think. Without much phone use (who wants to come back to the United States with crazy phone bills?), you found yourself thinking about life, pondering important questions, and knowing yourself much better. It was a perfect time to discover your priorities and what is truly important in your life.
4. You Gained A New Family
Studying abroad means a group of strangers are shoved in an airplane to navigate unfamiliar territory, enter a new country, live in a house together, take college-level classes, and somehow survive. By the time your trip was over, you gained a forever family. Undoubtedly, someone took on the roll of mom who always asked if you remembered your sunscreen, dad who wore a watch everyday, grandmother who never went out at night, and little sister who drove everyone nuts but was deeply loved anyways. People who have not studied abroad will probably not quite get your attachment, but that's okay. You know it is so real.
5. World Awareness Became Real
Living in the United States is wonderful. This country is blessed in many ways; however, that causes an unfortunately skewed view of the world. Studying abroad opened your eyes to the reality of other parts of the planet. Not everyone drives a Suburban, lives in a subdivision, shops at Kroger, and eats fast food four times a week. Studying abroad made you thankful for your way of life, but also caused you to consider the reality that the American way is not the only way. Other countries have great ways of doing life that are wonderful, just different. You probably also discovered several customs that you are already incorporating into your personal life back home.
6. You Acquired Much, Much Bravery
After you've traveled the streets of Rome, Italy or any other city with only your study abroad family, you begin to feel like you can do just about anything. You returned to the United States ready to brave the crowded shopping malls, honk in traffic, and speak up about your opinions.
I am so sorry for the up and down feelings experienced by anyone who goes through study abroad hangover, but I am also incredibly thankful that you've had the experience that creates that feeling. You have encountered something amazing. You will feel better. You need to tell your stories, laughs, and tears. Just talk it out, write it out, think it out. Do whatever you need to do to process the life change you have experienced. Take time to readjust. Don't feel like you have to stop talking about your trip because you've told that one story about twenty times and you can't remember who was listening.
Lastly, don't worry. You can go back one day.
Favorite lessons learned or memories that need to be shared? 1, 2, 3, go!
