If you’re reading this, I’m probably at home in my comfy bed in New Jersey, sleeping off the exhaustion that has accumulated over an entire semester. While I sleep, I’m most likely mentally preparing myself for the inevitable questions asking what the hell I did all semester. So here’s a list of everything that happened on my wild first semester abroad!

1.Second degree sunburn and sun poisoning

Within my first week in Europe, I fell asleep in the sun and got second degree burns on my legs. Not my best move but I didn’t let it stop me from having the time of my life. Here is a photo of the beach pre-nap.

2. Traveled to Florence with my friends while recovering from sun burn

Florence is the bomb. Although I was still in a ton of pain, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my trip to Florence.

3. OKTOBERFEST

Oktoberfest is an experience to say the least. I think everyone should go once in their life because the tents are packed to the brim and you are surrounded by singing drunk fools from all over the world. Checked that off my bucket list!

4. Went on my first solo travel trip to Brussels

I was a little nervous to travel on my own, but Brussels treated me well. I ate the best waffle of my entire life and chopped off most of my hair.

5. Saw Wicked in London

Wicked is by far one of my favorite musicals. Seeing it in London was equally as amazing as seeing it on Broadway.

6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!!!!

This was by far the best day of my life. I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and sitting in a small theatre for six hours was the best Christmas present ever. Thanks mom and dad!

7. Tuscany wine tour with my big sis

Combining three of my favorite things, my sister, wine, and Italy, I was fortunate enough to go on an amazing wine tour over fall break. It was so much fun and although I may not be legal in the States, I finally got to drink with my big sis.

8. Took a cooking class in Rome

As my birthday present, my sister booked us a fantastic six-hour cooking class in Rome. The food was to die for and it was all made by our hands.

9. Ate multiple desserts in Budapest

If you’ve never been to Budapest, I highly recommend it. Even George Ezra recommends it. There is an amazing dessert place on the Buda side by the Fisherman’s Bastion. Go find it and eat everything.

10. Gondola ride in Venice

Another item checked off my bucket list, I took a gondola ride in Venice. What was even better was that it was at night with the stars shining and the gondola man sang to us.

11. Listened to live music in Irish pub

When the opening song is “Galway Girl” you know it’s going to be a good night. We stood in the crowded Temple Bar sweating and singing for hours to live Irish music. It was the best night out I had all semester.

12. Hung out with my German cousins

I am fortunate enough to have family across the world. Although they are distant cousins, they feel like part of the big family and treat us that way. I loved spending Thanksgiving with them because it felt like I had a piece of family all the way across the world.

13. Saw an Orchestra performance in Vienna

I was so excited when I bought my ticket to the orchestra performance. When I got to the place, I was ecstatic to find out that for some of the songs there would be opera singers and ballet dancers. It was the most beautiful concert I’ve ever been to.

14. Read my fiction piece aloud

I never thought of myself as a writer. I still don’t. But for my Writing Fiction in Rome class, we had to get up in front of a bunch of people and read a piece that we had written. I was so nervous because I wasn’t sure how the crowd would react, but I was able to push through it and even got some positive feedback afterwards! (This photo is from one of my onsite classes at Castel Sant'Angelo)

15. Went to Sachsenhausen

By far the most formative of all my experiences abroad, I visited Sachsenhausen concentration camp by myself. There’s something so foreign about the Holocaust when you learn about it inside the classroom. But being at that camp and seeing the large ovens and living quarters puts everything into perspective. I had to sit down multiple times during the tour just to take in everything I was seeing. I think everyone needs to visit one so that these kinds of tragedies never happen again.

These are only some of the memories that I have from this semester. It truly was an amazing semester filled with great places, best friends, and amazing food. I am so lucky to have another semester in Rome and can’t wait to keep seeing the world!