This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Emerson chapter.

The most exciting part of college for me was always the study abroad programs. Study abroad combines two of my favorite things: travel and learning. Being able to learn about the world and see it at the same time amazed me like nothing ever had. Last fall, I applied to study abroad in the Netherlands. The Netherlands program was something that interested me back when I was applying for schools— the classes, the location, and the shutdown on the weekends so students could travel made me giddy thinking about it. Of course, I was rejected.

Not because my application wasn’t strong enough or my GPA wasn’t high enough; the selection simply was a lottery, and I didn’t have a lucky number. At least, I didn’t have one when applicants were being picked, but when the waitlist was released, I almost cried in a Mexican restaurant when I saw the number twelve. Hundreds of students applied for the fall and spring semester, and I happened to end up as twelve on the waitlist for my major. I kept up with the waitlist monthly, emailing the abroad office monthly asking for an update. By the end of the school year, I had moved to number five.

Through the chaos of the summer and the excitement for what my fall semester would bring, studying abroad slipped my mind… until I got an email while studying for a philosophy exam congratulating me on getting off the waitlist. Four months later, I have found a home in the Netherlands and have started on my newest journey. The first weekend following orientation, the entire program took a weekend trip to Amsterdam. The city is something beyond description, so instead, I have created a playlist to highlight my time in Amsterdam.

It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls

Location by Khalid

1950 by King Princess

Fuck Me Pumps by Amy Winehouse

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day

Holiday by Green Day

Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons

Broken Bones by KALEO

Self Care by Mac Miller

My Favorite Part by Mac Miller

Someone Like You by Mac Miller

Take Me by Aly & AJ