Leaving Glasgow

Studying abroad in Glasgow this summer has been an experience like no other. I've met some incredible people from around the US and even around the world that I never would have met otherwise; some that are now my best friends even!

While abroad, you should definitely focus on learning and make sure to study, but you also have to make sure to not miss out on the bigger picture while you're at it. Wherever you go there's going to be a rich cultural history and beautiful landscapes to explore. Make sure to dig in to the culture: try the food, talk to locals, visit sites. You have to be open to being uncomfortable and making mistakes, but in the end it's worth it and you'll laugh it off because there's no experience quite like being on your own in another country with people you've only just met.

This experience has allowed me to grow both academically and as a person. The time in the classroom was tough and organized differently than a traditional lecture-style class you'd have at home, but I know I learned a lot of good, solid information that will stick with me and transfer to other classes to be built upon. I think my personal growth was even greater. Before this summer I had never left the US or had extensive interactions with people from other countries, but now I've lived within another culture for 2 months and enjoyed every second of it! One of the courses I took was a "Culture of Scotland" course and it really allowed me to understand the history of Scotland--specifically Glasgow's history and cultural impact. This course took us on various day trips to significant places and cities all around Scotland, and I'm very thankful for all those opportunities.

Before leaving for Scotland I set a few goals for myself to achieve through this experience. My main goal was independence. Personally, I'm a rather dependent person in that I'm uncomfortable going places or doing things on my own; I much prefer to have a friend or family member with me. This mostly has to do with the fact that I have pretty bad social anxiety. However, just going on this trip without anyone else from my university going was a big step in its own right, and once I was in Glasgow I made a point to leave the flat by myself to take walks, explore parks, and visit shops. Forcing myself to be alone and do these things was very freeing--I no longer felt scared or anxious of being alone in the world. Don't get me wrong, I still struggle with social anxiety, but knowing that I set my mind to achieve a goal and then doing it felt wonderful. Ever since returning home I'm a little less worried about doing things on my own.

I just wanted to write up this post as a bit of a summary and self-reflection on my time spent abroad. If you're planning on going abroad, then I'd highly suggest doing something similar after your experience. Before you leave make sure to set some goals and write down how you're feeling, what your fears are, and how you think the experience will be. It's hard to see how new experiences are changing you for the better while they're happening, but if you take time to reflect afterwards then you'll be able to tell!

Anyway, that's all I have for now. My next and final post(for this experience!) will be once I return home, so talk to you then!

-Kendra