Like almost everyone told me before I left, studying abroad has taught me a lot of things about myself and the world. I think one of the more practical things I learned about myself is I need to plan ahead more. My way of planning is to not make a plan. I was never really a fan of planning ahead or having every hour of my day scheduled. However, I’ve realized that there are times when planning is essential so you don’t end up missing a flight, not having a place to sleep, or running out of time.
This semester I lived with a host family, which was really just one woman, and another sophomore from New York named Katie. We get along really well despite the fact that we are a little different from each other, with the main difference being Katie is an expert planner. I admire the way Katie plans everything so that she is certain what will happen and what she needs to accomplish.
I’ve learned a lot watching her plan weekends, assignments, and just day to day things that need to be done, but I’ve also learned about planning from many “lessons” I was forced to learn. One lesson being you shouldn’t wait until the morning of your trip to buy a bus ticket, because chances are the tickets are sold out or they’re incredibly more expensive. The same goes with flights, booking in advance is key to saving money and getting the best deals.
Speaking of transportation, it’s also important to know how you are getting to or back from the airport that way you’re not stranded airport with no way to get back home. Although I found myself in many situations that could’ve been avoided if I planned ahead, I learned that when things go wrong it’s easy to get mad at yourself for not thinking, but it’s easier to let the experience teach you a lesson.
As necessary as planning is to travelling, I still believe that in some situations not planning is better. Some of the best trips I’ve had was when my friends and I decided to go the morning of, or go somewhere and wander and not plan anything. I think the key to a perfect trip is finding the balance between planning and just living in the moment.
When people told me that studying aboard will change me and that I’m going to learn so many things, I honestly didn’t believe them because I found most of what was being said to be cliché. However, these past five months have been some of the best months of my life filled with experiences I am eternally grateful for and places I only dreamed of visiting.
To Plan or Not to Plan
Like almost everyone told me before I left, studying abroad has taught me a lot of things about myself and the world. I think one of the more practical things I learned about myself is I need to plan ahead more. My way of planning is to not make a plan. I was never really a fan of planning ahead or having every hour of my day scheduled. However, I’ve realized that there are times when planning is essential so you don’t end up missing a flight, not having a place to sleep, or running out of time.
This semester I lived with a host family, which was really just one woman, and another sophomore from New York named Katie. We get along really well despite the fact that we are a little different from each other, with the main difference being Katie is an expert planner. I admire the way Katie plans everything so that she is certain what will happen and what she needs to accomplish.
I’ve learned a lot watching her plan weekends, assignments, and just day to day things that need to be done, but I’ve also learned about planning from many “lessons” I was forced to learn. One lesson being you shouldn’t wait until the morning of your trip to buy a bus ticket, because chances are the tickets are sold out or they’re incredibly more expensive. The same goes with flights, booking in advance is key to saving money and getting the best deals.
Speaking of transportation, it’s also important to know how you are getting to or back from the airport that way you’re not stranded airport with no way to get back home. Although I found myself in many situations that could’ve been avoided if I planned ahead, I learned that when things go wrong it’s easy to get mad at yourself for not thinking, but it’s easier to let the experience teach you a lesson.
As necessary as planning is to travelling, I still believe that in some situations not planning is better. Some of the best trips I’ve had was when my friends and I decided to go the morning of, or go somewhere and wander and not plan anything. I think the key to a perfect trip is finding the balance between planning and just living in the moment.
When people told me that studying aboard will change me and that I’m going to learn so many things, I honestly didn’t believe them because I found most of what was being said to be cliché. However, these past five months have been some of the best months of my life filled with experiences I am eternally grateful for and places I only dreamed of visiting.
Eileen Molloy
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