I've done a lot of traveling over the past couple of years. From trying decadent and rich Belgium waffles smothered in thick chocolate to getting incredibly lost in Prague, I've experienced a ton--- but of course not all. As a rising senior in college, looking back onto who I was during my first study abroad in The Netherlands, I seem so different. I was excited, scared and had no idea of what the world could bring. I dreamed of luxurious travels filled with shopping and champagne. I had no idea what it meant to truly explore, but I quickly learned.

It's crazy to think that I spent three months in the Netherlands almost two years ago. It's even more insane to think that I spent three weeks in Aix-en-Provence, France only two months ago. With these experiences, both preparing before the trip and then experiencing traveling itself, have really helped me to open up my eyes.

1. Try all of the food, even if you don't like it at home.

I didn't like celery until my host mom in Aix-en-Provence baked it for me with crispy Parmesan. When she placed it on the table, fresh and hot from the oven, I almost died on the inside. Something about celery never settled right with me. I could never eat it raw, let alone with peanut butter. However, I wanted to at least give it a chance since she had gone through the trouble of making it (in her defense, she did ask me what I didn't like at the beginning of the trip. Stupidly, I told her that I like all food. This is mainly true, with the exclusion of lamb and celery). Surprisingly, I absolutely loved it and even had seconds. So I guess I can now put "baked celery" on the list of food that I enjoy.

Lesson learned: Forget the food that you don't like. It might surprise you when you're forced to remember again.

2. Recognize that not everyone will speak English.

I've heard countless times about "rude Americans" traveling around the world. However, I never really understood what it really meant until I experienced it myself. What I've come to realize is that a lot of people travel expecting the culture to be the same. They feel personally afflicted when they realize that you have to pay for a public restroom, or think other people are the problem when asking for help in English doesn't work. Disclaimer--- this isn't just Americans. All travelers do it. We can all be ignorant. I was an ignorant traveler at one point. I didn't realize, however, until traveling to Prague. During this time, my friend Kaleigh and I spoke around five languages combined. This had gotten us through most of Europe, until then. We were miserably lost in Prague around 11 p.m., tired, hungry and frustrated. We attempted speaking all five languages to about ten people before we gave up. It seemed that no one knew anything except for Czech and a few broken bits of English. Again, not their fault. I mean, we were in their country and not our own. Finally, after what seemed like a game of charades in a cab ride, we arrived at our hostel around 1 a.m. To this day, it is one of our most treasured stories to tell.

Lesson learned: Try to learn as many languages as you can before leaving. Of course, you don't have to be fluent, but knowing a few phrases is always helpful. Most importantly, know that just speaking your one native language probably won't get you too far in a foreign country.

3. There will be a lot of cultural differences.

There is always another way to do things, and traveling abroad will help to make that very clear. You will encounter many changes during your travels, so don't just assume that something will work the same way as it does in your home country, state and city. For example, in The Netherlands, you have to tap your train card for both boarding and getting off. Some of us (me and many of my other friends) learned this the hard way when either a conductor yelled at us for not tapping on, or when our train cards ran out of money because we technically traveled to the last stop by not tapping off. Another example lies within the topic of public restrooms. One, you usually have to pay to use them (unless you sneak into a hotel or use one at a restaurant while dining). In some train stations, there might even be a guard to make sure that no one sneaks through without paying--- yes, it is that serious. Two, the toilets often don't have seats. The conclusion to this is pretty obvious.

Lesson learned: Do not be afraid to ask locals about these possible cultural changes. You don't want to be stuck in a bad situation because you were unaware. Trust me, been there, done that. Having to explain to a conductor that you're "a tourist and that's why you stupidly wasted five dollars on a trip that you didn't even take, and if they could please let you on for free this one time because there's no kiosk" does not go over too well.

4. "Nightlife" has many different definitions.

If you're traveling abroad as a student who is younger than 21, nightlife can have a variety of meanings. First of all, going to a different country might mean that you can finally drink legally. This is what happened to many of my friends and I when we first studied abroad. What many do not know, however, is that the nightlife--- especially in Europe--- can be very different. When my friends and I traveled to Barcelona, for instance, the clubs weren't filled until around 2 a.m.--- a much later start to the night than we were used to. I remember asking an already-intoxicated local in Spanish when the clubs were going to open (as we had already gotten dressed and ready only find that the club was closed). He laughed at us and our obvious tourist-ness. Big fail on our part.

Another component to the night that was different (besides the fact that the clubs were amazing and looked like they were straight out of a movie) was the cobblestones. Many of the pathways in Europe, at least, are still cobblestone. Therefore, they aren't too friendly to heels- especially if you aren't used to walking in them on uneven ground. I wore mine for about three hours, and the sole started to fall apart (not to mention the fact that I had just bought these shoes right before the trip, and had never worn them before this).

Lesson learned: Go out and have a blast. You're studying abroad and you're supposed to try new things, but just be smart. Wear the right type of shoes, or accept the fact that your new heels might be ruined for the rest of the trip. Also ask around about different clubs in the area. That way, you aren't stuck going to unpopular places, and will also know when and where the nightlife really begins. On the contrary, don't be afraid to go off the beaten path. See a small bar that has a lot of people inside? Go in. You might find two-euro sangria like we did.

5. Being open-minded is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself.

Overall, the biggest and best thing that I realized is to be open minded. This is literally the greatest thing that you can do for yourself while on this trip. Sometimes, it can be hard. I'm a person who likes scheduling, planning and knowing what's happening, but when I'm studying abroad, it's a different story. Yes, I still plan, but I also know that things pretty much work out on their own. In other words, you might schedule a nice trip to Southern France to see the lavender fields, but end up being at the beautiful outdoor markets all day instead. Being adventurous will take you places, and might help you to discover what you may not have otherwise. It's much like taking a wrong turn only to find a pretty field of flowers or a hidden garden. Taking wrong turns while traveling, to me, is strongly recommended.

Lesson learned: You can't control everything. You can try to, but something will always end up changing. And while traveling, at least, change is a good thing.