Dear friends studying abroad,

While I was driving home from school after finals week, I had a ton of time to reflect on the past five semesters and on the fact that you all won't be on campus next semester. I am going to miss you all more than words can describe. These past three and a half years have been the best years of my life, and it’s because I have friends like you with whom I get to share countless, unforgettable memories. Whether we were at a game, partying on the weekends, hanging out in the dorms or studying in the library, I have, and always will, cherish the time I have spent with all of you. But our time together isn’t over. You know how you sometimes have to pause a really awesome movie because you have something more important to do? But then, after you finish that more important thing, you return to finish the movie because it’s so good that you need to see how it plays out? The fact that you are all going abroad is something like that; our time together isn’t over, it’s just on pause. You will return next year, our senior year, and we will be able to continue to create memories that we will be able to treasure for the many years to come. Therefore, although it is extremely cliché, I will not say “goodbye” because it isn’t “goodbye” – it’s “see you later.”

Yeah, I am bummed that we won’t be able to hang out next semester; and yeah, I may have shed a few tears thinking about it (on more than one occasion) – but I am so happy that you all will be going on once in a lifetime adventures all across the globe. I'm super jealous of the fact that your classrooms will not be within the confines of four walls and a door. It will be awesome to be able to say that your classrooms are the many landscapes and landmarks of various countries. To state the obvious, that’s so much better than spending the semester listening to lectures in a classroom. Whether you are exploring the wonders of the outback or the beautiful countries and cultures of Europe, Asia, Africa, or South America, you will undergo many unique experiences that you will be able to call your own for the rest of your life, and those experiences will affect you in many ways that you’ll never expect.

If I could pick one thing to say to you all, it would be: carpe diem (another cliché). Seize the hell out of every second of every hour of every day that you are abroad because, even if you visit other countries in the future, it won’t be the same as your study abroad experience. Whether it is as simple as passing Big Ben on your way to class or having the opportunity to do something crazy, such as cage diving with great white sharks off of the Australian coast (you know who you are), take advantage of all of it. At the same time, be smart about the crazy stuff. You know the Jim Carrey movie, "Yes Man"? Try to have a milder form of the mentality that Jim Carrey had in that movie because you will have more fun if you do!

Lastly, even though you all will probably roll your eyes at this and say, “I’ll be fine,” I hope and pray that you all will stay safe! I know that you all will be fine but given the current foreign issues, I can’t help but worry about all of you! Just don’t do something stupid such as taking the subway alone in the middle of the night. All of you better come back in one piece!

I miss you all and cannot wait to see you and hear about your amazing experiences when you all get home! I love you all.

Sincerely,

Your friends who are not studying abroad