exchange

Even when living in what I think is the most beautiful city in the world – Utrecht – during my time abroad, the school year or just day-to-day life can get stressful. When that happens, I like to focus on the little things that bring me joy and remind me that the world around me isn’t just about stress.

The ability to head anywhere on my bike, as opposed to having to wait for the bus or take an Uber, is liberating like nothing else.

After months of preparation and jittery nervousness, I’m heading to the Netherlands for my exchange program.

I projected my desire to experience change onto a wilderness that is fundamentally not that disparate to my own.

Cry with your nose. Smile with your nose. Think with your nose. Smell is the most articulate language of emotion.

Studying abroad, as anyone who has ever done it will say, is a more rewarding experience that you could ever imagine it to be. There will be highs (many of them) and lows (these will inevitably crop up) throughout your time, but you will be grateful for all of them.

Being alone couldn’t be further from being lonely. After all, you’re the one person who’s around during the good and the bad.

It’s only too easy for us to take for granted the fact that we get to call ourselves Golden Bears for the rest of our lives.