Everyone tells you if you get an opportunity to study abroad, “go!” Or you hear the common phase, “I regret not going abroad.” Being an International Studies major at Texas A&M consists of every student in my major going abroad. Therefore, I’ve encountered many people who have gone abroad. When I tell them I’m going to Spain next semester, everyone is excited and happy for me and tells me, “you’re going to have so much fun.” Yet they do not know the worries I have. Being a first-generation student, I had a difficult time adjusting to college, especially being away from my family. Even now, only three hours away from my family, I miss them. I grew up in an environment where family meant everything and I was always with my family 24/7. Now in my senior year, I have managed to navigate not seeing my family on a daily basis, but I still see them some weekends. It is a great opportunity to study abroad, but the nerves of dealing with the emotions of knowing I won’t see my family for a long period of time is difficult to process. As I have been receiving great opportunities for my education and career, it is saddening to know that this also means I will have to be apart from my family for a longer period of time. As I am learning to navigate such changes, I am excited to experience going abroad.
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.