Mid-semester break is the time to reflect on the first 6 weeks of classes and think about the next 6 weeks to come.
For this week's post, instead of sharing photos or giving a list of recommendations, I want to share some more intimate details about my experiences at the University of Stirling - and how they compare to my expectations when I first arrived.
Transitioning to life in Scotland was much easier than I could have ever asked for. I found a great group of friends who are also study abroad students, right from the start. I had pictured myself alone for the first few weeks, maybe finally meeting people to go have dinner with once in awhile once I'd joined a few clubs. I did ultimately decide not to join any student organizations. I didn't want to get so caught up in activities on campus that I would forget to break that routine and venture off campus.
With that, however, I've also realized that I am traveling less than I had hoped. I spent a weekend in Germany, a day in England, and I am currently in Ireland with friends for mid-term break. I've found that I need to keep a close eye on my bank account and really limit myself so that I will be able to continue visiting a new country every few weeks. Even though I try to be strategic in when and where I travel, to get competitive pricing on transportation, I still spend about £100-200 per weekend trip, or about £75 for a single day excursion. I'm fine with not traveling as often, because it is exhausting to constantly be planning trips without anytime to recover in between.
The semester is already halfway over, and for me, time has moved so fast that I have not really suffered from any homesickness. I am very excited to go home, because I am looking forward to sharing all of my experiences with my friends and family. However, I am definitely going to have a harder time accepting that my time will be over in Scotland. Homesickness is almost expected for anyone studying abroad, but I think the finality of this experience is going to be my biggest challenge. I have grown attached to living here, and I can't believe that in just another 6 weeks, I will go home for good. I won't be returning to Scotland in the spring, or for any other semesters.
With this in mind, I feel as though I need to focus on soaking in as much of these moments as possible. I try to be fully present in every situation. I have neglected staying up to date with my journal for the past few weeks, but I am going to make a conscious effort to return to writing at least one entry a week. Keeping a journal is recommended for anyone traveling abroad because processing all of the memories is almost impossible. For me, I know I will want more than just the photos to help remember all of these amazing experiences I am having here!