Just last year over Christmas break, I received the “you have to do something with your life this summer” talk from my parents. My options were to start filling out internship applications, or figure out a way to get out of it. That’s when I quickly came up with a solution: studying abroad. What an easy way to spend the last summer before the real world starts, right?
The twist to this story is I am actually terrified of flying and have never really done anything by myself. Being a person of comfort and routine, I plan years in advance about where I want my life to end up. To put it into perspective, I chose to step a mile out of my comfort zone due to the sheer terror I felt when thinking about job searching.
After some quick research, I applied to ASU’s study abroad program in Lyon, France and was immediately swept into the process of renewing my passport, health evaluations and foreign class registration. With each step, I started to think “is this really what’s right for me?” I can now undoubtedly say that I was happy I stuck with my decision. Studying abroad changed the way I will look at life forever. It prepared me to face senior year in a way I didn’t think I could have experienced had I chosen a different path last summer.
I never thought the departure day of June 21st would come, but it did. For weeks, I had moments of fear and then moments of fantasizing about running away to Europe without looking back. Thankfully, my amazing family made a trip out of my trip and joined me on the flight over; probably so I didn’t land the plane mid-air from a panic attack.
Once I arrived at LAX quiet and contemplative, I knew in the back of my head that this was a good decision, but I was still unsure whether it was the best one.
After a long flight and a plane change in Paris, I was finally there. I had to convince myself that the moment was real and there was no turning back.
I was fortunate enough to arrive in Lyon a few days before the rest of the students in my program, which was both good and bad. I didn’t know who I was going to be spending the summer with yet. All I could keep thinking about was “Who was going to be in my dorm? Who would go to the bars with me? What was my professor like?”
Stay tuned for my next post where I discuss the first week of my program!