Today is my last day in Florence, Italy. My bags are packed, souvenirs purchased, and the apartment is clean. The only thing standing between me and America is one last group dinner and a day full of travel. I'm ready to see my friends and family (and eat a salad the size of my face), but it's sad to be leaving this experience behind. For so long, I anticipated this trip and wondered what it would be like. Now it's over. At 3:45 a.m. tomorrow morning, I leave behind my friends and my home of four months. Everyone talks about a study abroad reunion next summer, but we all know that it's easier said than done. The majority of people I met here, I will never see again.
That being said, I'd like to think that this is just the beginning of my adventures. I want to come back to Europe and now that I've gained independence and knowledge, I won't be as nervous when I return. I've also learned so much on a personal level, and grown immensely. Most of what I learned I had known before, but never had to truly exercise myself. Over the course of my time here I've learned important lessons and was also forced to put into practice advice I'd previously been given.
Things I've learned (or re-learned) abroad:
1. Doing your own thing pays off
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is so overrated. Most of the time, I was happier going the places I wanted to go, seeing the sights I wanted to see, and eating where I wanted to eat with one friend, than being with a group of 20 people wandering around arguing about where to go.
2. It's better to be independent than a people pleaser
Some people I met here frequently chose to sacrifice their own happiness or goals to make a bossy friend happy. No matter the situation, you can't please everyone. Acceptance shouldn't depend on whether you spend every single waking moment with someone, and in the end I avoided a lot more drama by being friendly with everyone but making my own decisions.
3. Let it go
Things usually don't go they way you plan, and people will probably annoy you. I learned to let it go this trip. My time abroad was too short to hold grudges, and it payed off to remain calm and expect hurdles to come my way.
4. Take time to enjoy the world around you
Especially when traveling with groups of friends, it was so easy to miss the beautiful scenery or the unique atmospheres of the places we went. Frequently, my friends and I had to make a conscious effort to stop and smell the roses.
5. Balance is key
When studying abroad, it's hard to not be "going" all the time. There's always something you have to do or somewhere you have to go. Some weeks, I never took time to stop and recuperate. I had fun, but I payed for it later. Sometimes it's better to sacrifice something you don't care as much about to make the most of another experience. Otherwise, you end up wearing yourself out and not enjoying any of it.
6. Don't rely on others to make you happy
If you constantly rely on other people being in a good mood for you to have a good time, most of the time you won’t be happy. I’ve learned to have my attitude determine my “altitude” on a daily basis, and try to bring others along with me instead of being dragged down with negativity.
7. Positivity makes or breaks your trip
Like I mentioned above, having a good attitude can turn even the most unfortunate of days into a good time. When we traveled to Cinque Terre and the Almafi Coast the weather was far from ideal. However, we chose to have a positive attitude and make the most of our time in these beautiful places. Without forcing ourselves to have a bright outlook on dreary days, everyone would have been unhappy.
8. Make sure to be yourself while adapting to others
When you’re making new friends and living with new people, it can be easy to sacrifice or alter your own personality to get along others. That’s okay to an extent, but it’s not okay if you stop being yourself. This is always something I struggle with, and going abroad was a great chance to practice walking this fine line. I’m pretty happy with where I ended up, but at some points it was harder than others.
9. Trust your instincts
Sometimes, things look sketchy. Or you get a weird vibe. Trust that.
10. Traveling with your family actually rocks
About halfway through my trip, my parents and brother were able to visit for about a week. It was one of my favorite weeks abroad, and I absolutely loved traveling with them and spending time together. Even though I have always appreciated the lengths my parents went to in order to make our vacations comfortable, I never appreciated it more than when they visited in March. After staying in hostels, taking countless bus rides, and saving money by never taking cabs, it was nice to relax in hotels and travel conveniently. I was able to try all the restaurants I had been dying to go to, and drive into the beautiful countryside of Florence. After scraping by to travel on my own, I have a newfound appreciation of family travel.
11. Support from loved ones means the world
I made great friends here, but none of them compare to the friends and relationships I have back in the United States. Being able to read an encouraging text from my best friend, family, and boyfriend in America always made me so happy and helped me through the tough days. I now appreciate my existing relationships even more.
12. I want to travel for the rest of my life
My eyes have been opened to so many more possible travel destinations and interesting regions since studying abroad. Before I left America, I had no desire to travel to Croatia. Now, after staying there for a weekend, it is one of my favorite places. There are so many unexplored countries and areas I would love to see, and after beginning to master traveling Europe I cannot wait to come back. It will definitely be a priority in my life when I have the means and the time.
13. Being intellectually challenged is important to me
Honestly, school here was not “real” school. I can count on two hands the number of hours I studied all semester. One of my classes taught me about different kinds of pasta, and another forced us to watch movies every single day. Don’t get me wrong, it was an awesome break from reality. However, I started to miss being challenged and having something constructive to devote my time to. This realization has encouraged me to seek out a career that constantly keeps me on my toes, which is important to keep in mind as I approach my senior year of college.
14. I really don't need my phone
For four months, I’ve only been able to communicate on my phone when there was wifi. One of the few places with semi-functioning wifi was my apartment, and I was rarely there. I’ve become less and less dependent on using technology, and when I do have wifi I only check my phone for 10 minutes to catch up on a few things. I don’t remember why or how I was so attached to it before this trip.
15. America is my favorite country
I absolutely love Italy with all my heart. I love Europe, too! But, I love America the most. It’s so sad to leave this beautiful country that I’ve called home for four months, but I cannot wait to return to the U.S.A. for a variety of reasons too long to list here. I definitely have a much greater appreciation for other ways of life, but I also know that I live in the country that’s right for me. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t mind a vacation home in Tuscany, though :)
Tomorrow at this time, I will be home. What a strange concept.
Arrivederci, Italia!
