Perhaps the most significant lesson you learn while studying abroad is that you learn more about yourself. Studying abroad is fun, but you also have to worry about certain problems, such as housing, financing for the whole year, feeding yourself, and troubleshooting what to do in a potential emergency. You’re pushed out of your comfort zone, and it’s very easy to feel alone, especially when you have no friends yet and the country’s main language isn’t English. But these hard times can help us to grow the most as individuals, and we find out just how capable we really are.
For some, being alone may be the biggest challenge to face during time abroad. I agree that it may be unnerving at first, but I think that it is also important to spend time alone. Contrary to what society may suggest, being alone doesn’t necessarily equate to loneliness. It can also mean enjoying our own company and not depending on others to make us feel whole. In this way, not only do we slowly start valuing our own time more, but we also begin to appreciate others, because we start choosing friends whose company we treasure. Of course, to find those new friends, we have to try our best to be as active as we can. As a student, there’s no better place to start than at school!
