When I got the amazing news that I would be attending a Global Summers Academy program, studying history in Portugal and Spain, I was beyond excited. I couldn’t wait to travel to destinations I had never seen before, learn new things about the world I never knew, and make connections with a group of people who I had never met. I knew the memories would be meaningful and lasting. Amidst all of the excitement, there were thoughts in the back of my mind of anxiety. As someone who had never been away from home for more than a week, and never been across the ocean, I was very nervous in the weeks leading up to my program. In the past I’ve struggled with anxiety, so I was expecting the nerves to come, but I was determined not to let them get in the way of this once in a lifetime opportunity.
I decided to make myself as prepared as possible for my program. I made sure to read over all of the messages and packages that I started receiving leading up to the program. I was comforted by the many reassuring messages detailing how everyone is nervous being away from home, and that GSA staff is there to help 24/7. I gradually became less nervous as I could remind myself that what I was feeling was normal, and there would be people to support me if I needed them.
What I was most nervous about was my first night. I find that at night, emotions are always heightened and the first night staying in any new environment can be tricky. When I got settled in with my roommate after a busy and exciting first day, we talked about how we were feeling. I learned that it was also her first time away from home for that long and that she was nervous too. This made me feel less alone and reassured me that I was not the only one in my situation.
One thing that helped me with my first sleep on the program was how quickly our program leaders got us adjusted with the time difference. As soon as we landed in Lisbon, Portugal we went on a beautiful walking tour of the city, immediately immersing ourselves into the environment without time to worry about our nerves. With the time difference and the busy day, by the time night rolled around I was too tired to be nervous. The only thing keeping me awake was my excitement for all of the days to come.
As the program went on I would sometimes feel homesick, or feel a little nervous in new destinations, but wherever I did, I knew I had people to count on. I couldn’t be more grateful for the amazing staff on my program who were friendly, genuine, and easy to talk to. As the days went on the group of students felt like family. I was afraid to talk to any of my classmates about how I was feeling and nine times out of ten they felt the exact same way.
I could not be happier that I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone by studying abroad with GSA. As I now prepare for university, I have my GSA experience to look back on to remind myself I am capable of being away from home for long periods of time. I could not be more grateful that I got this opportunity to face my fears while making lasting memories and friendships and traveling the world.
Thank you to Student Ambassador Lily N. for writing this blog post!
