It's been a wild semester, but it's over. Now that I'm "Traveling" (which is what Millennials call people on unbelievably long trips), I guess it's time to get real with you.
This whole thing has been a lie, and I've been in hiding in New Jersey this whole time.
Okay, that's a lie. But I do have something that I've been meaning to write on this blog all semester and haven't figured out how.
I have anxiety.
I don't talk about it a lot. I rarely let people see me when it gets bad. But it's there and it's been with me as I travel through Australia. It'll be with me when I travel the world this summer. And it'll be with me when I get back.
It's been tough at times, sure, and sometimes I've been a panicky mess 10,000 miles from home. Even with those times, I've had a great semester.
You may be wondering how I managed everything. You might have anxiety yourself and be thinking that you could never go on a semester abroad. Well, I learned a lot and I'm more than happy to share some tips.
Disclaimer before we get started: Every person is different and everyone experiences anxiety differently. These may not work for everyone.
1) Make sure you're not getting in over your head.
Trips are stressful. Being in a new place requires adjustment, as does starting at a new school. It's okay if that's too much for you, but if it is, maybe this isn't the right choice for you. Talk with people you trust (a therapist if you're seeing one, parents, mentors, or friends) to try to figure out if you're up for handling a very new situation far away from your usual support system.
2) You don't have to do everything.
Being in a new place is exciting. There are sights to see, people to meet, and classes. Your new study abroad friends might be going out every weekend and you'll be invited on plenty of excursions. FOMO is real, but it's totally okay to say no. If clubs freak you out, it's okay not to go to them – I've been here 4 months and I haven't been once. If you miss a thing or two (or twelve), that's fine. And if you need to, take a day off to recharge
3) You are in school. And that's a stressor too.
You're probably used to school by now. The school you're going to will be different somehow (trust me) and you'll have to adjust. But you're also going to have to balance a normal courseload with all of this adjusting and exploring. This is totally attainable, but it takes some planning.
4) Don't expect to feel better just because you think you should.
This has ruined some experiences for me. I'm having a bad day when I've planned to do a fun thing and I can't enjoy myself enough. Then I get upset because there's no reason for me to be so unhappy. Then I'm even less happy. Rinse and repeat. It's okay to feel whatever you feel. Even if you're staring at a beautiful vista in a new city. Sometimes you're going to have subjectively bad days on objectively good ones. It happens.
5) Make yourself at home.
You're in a new place, but you're there for a few months. Set a routine. Explore your neighborhood and find your favorite restaurants. Pick a spot in the library and make it yours. Make friends in your classes or join a club if you can handle it. Sit in the park for an afternoon because there's plenty of time to act like a tourist. Let some days be regular. You'll remember them too.
I probably have more to say, but this is getting long. I hope you find this enlightening (or possibly even helpful). Feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions. Thank you for reading my blog. Have a great week!
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Week 17: The Last Post of the Semester!
Hey guys!
I'm currently running on fumes right now while juggling two papers, but let's not talk about that. This is my last post before I finish this semester! Fortunately for you, the 10 or so people still reading my blog, I've got another 2 months before I actually get back to the US.
I should mention that today is Father's Day! I'm not going to give my dad a sappy post because I know he'd like that too much. But happy Father's Day to you, Dad.
When I last posted, I was halfway done with my classes. This week has mostly consisted of writing (okay, it's mostly consisted of trying to write and winding up on Netflix or something). But in between trips to the library, I've had some nice moments.
On Wednesday, my apartment finally got around to having a group dinner. We ordered pizza and had chocolate fondue in our living room. It's been rare for all of us to be in the same place, so it was nice to take a night off to just hang out with friends.
After dinner, a few of us went to Darling Harbour to see Vivid again. We didn't have much time before they shut the lights off for the night, but we did get to sit in front of the Contemporary Art Museum and watch the projections for a little while. Here's a photo:
Everything else that's on my mind is school related and I don't want to write about school. So I'm going to leave it here. I'll see you next week for my first week of VACATION!!! (That word sounds so good right now.) Here's one more photo to tide you over.
I'm currently running on fumes right now while juggling two papers, but let's not talk about that. This is my last post before I finish this semester! Fortunately for you, the 10 or so people still reading my blog, I've got another 2 months before I actually get back to the US.
I should mention that today is Father's Day! I'm not going to give my dad a sappy post because I know he'd like that too much. But happy Father's Day to you, Dad.
When I last posted, I was halfway done with my classes. This week has mostly consisted of writing (okay, it's mostly consisted of trying to write and winding up on Netflix or something). But in between trips to the library, I've had some nice moments.
On Wednesday, my apartment finally got around to having a group dinner. We ordered pizza and had chocolate fondue in our living room. It's been rare for all of us to be in the same place, so it was nice to take a night off to just hang out with friends.
After dinner, a few of us went to Darling Harbour to see Vivid again. We didn't have much time before they shut the lights off for the night, but we did get to sit in front of the Contemporary Art Museum and watch the projections for a little while. Here's a photo:
Everything else that's on my mind is school related and I don't want to write about school. So I'm going to leave it here. I'll see you next week for my first week of VACATION!!! (That word sounds so good right now.) Here's one more photo to tide you over.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Week 16: A Brief Reprieve – A Basic Update
Hey all!
So I'm in the thick of finals right now. Last night, after many mishaps ranging from a SEVERE lack of motivation to Microsoft Word deleting my outline, I submitted my third out of five final assignments. Now I'm completely finished with half of my classes!
I've got two more papers to write. Since they're due a week from Monday, I was able to take an easy day today. I slept in, which was glorious, went grocery shopping, and cooked myself dinner. The only school-related thing I did today was read a book– it was Fun Home, a graphic novel that I'd been meaning to read for over a year now (ever since I saw the Broadway musical).
My time in Sydney is winding down, but lately I've been too busy to do much of anything fun. Maybe in the coming week I'll be able to sneak away for a cool activity, but it might have to wait until after the 19th, when I'll (hopefully) be done with these last papers.
I do have some cool things to talk about though. I found out yesterday that I'll be working in a psych lab next semester! I'm really pumped about this opportunity to do some #adulting and gain some #relevantexperience while I'm at it (that's how you use #hashtags right???).
And on the total opposite end of the spectrum from school, I booked a trip up to the Great Barrier Reef for right before I leave Australia. This is a bucket-list item for me, which is strange because I don't have a bucket-list.
But for right now, I've got to get back to the grind for my last week of paper writing. I'll see you next week as I'm finishing them up (or, if I can be on top of things for once, when I've finished a day early *fingers crossed*)
Until then, I hope the rest of you have a week that is much more restful than mine!
So I'm in the thick of finals right now. Last night, after many mishaps ranging from a SEVERE lack of motivation to Microsoft Word deleting my outline, I submitted my third out of five final assignments. Now I'm completely finished with half of my classes!
I've got two more papers to write. Since they're due a week from Monday, I was able to take an easy day today. I slept in, which was glorious, went grocery shopping, and cooked myself dinner. The only school-related thing I did today was read a book– it was Fun Home, a graphic novel that I'd been meaning to read for over a year now (ever since I saw the Broadway musical).
My time in Sydney is winding down, but lately I've been too busy to do much of anything fun. Maybe in the coming week I'll be able to sneak away for a cool activity, but it might have to wait until after the 19th, when I'll (hopefully) be done with these last papers.
I do have some cool things to talk about though. I found out yesterday that I'll be working in a psych lab next semester! I'm really pumped about this opportunity to do some #adulting and gain some #relevantexperience while I'm at it (that's how you use #hashtags right???).
And on the total opposite end of the spectrum from school, I booked a trip up to the Great Barrier Reef for right before I leave Australia. This is a bucket-list item for me, which is strange because I don't have a bucket-list.
But for right now, I've got to get back to the grind for my last week of paper writing. I'll see you next week as I'm finishing them up (or, if I can be on top of things for once, when I've finished a day early *fingers crossed*)
Until then, I hope the rest of you have a week that is much more restful than mine!
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Week 15: Please Enjoy These Photos While I Die of Finals
Hey friends!
So it's the night before my last week of classes. By midnight on Friday, I'll have (hopefully) taken a quiz, finished a 1,500 word take-home final, written a 2,000 word essay, and created a 1,650 word short story. Ideally, at least 2 of those things will have gone fairly well.
But I can't think about anything but finals for more than 2 minutes before my mind goes back to the mountain of work that I have to do. So I don't have anything to write about today. Or if I do, I can't focus on it long enough to mold it into a blog post.
Instead, I'm gonna post some photos that haven't made it onto the blog yet. Sorry to anyone who follows me on Instagram; you've seen these all before. If you're not following me on Instagram, you should do that.
I hope you enjoy these pictures. I'll see you next week when I'm warming up for my second (and last) round of finals.
So it's the night before my last week of classes. By midnight on Friday, I'll have (hopefully) taken a quiz, finished a 1,500 word take-home final, written a 2,000 word essay, and created a 1,650 word short story. Ideally, at least 2 of those things will have gone fairly well.
But I can't think about anything but finals for more than 2 minutes before my mind goes back to the mountain of work that I have to do. So I don't have anything to write about today. Or if I do, I can't focus on it long enough to mold it into a blog post.
Instead, I'm gonna post some photos that haven't made it onto the blog yet. Sorry to anyone who follows me on Instagram; you've seen these all before. If you're not following me on Instagram, you should do that.
I hope you enjoy these pictures. I'll see you next week when I'm warming up for my second (and last) round of finals.
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