Now that you have been studying abroad you have realized one thing: This is pretty damn cool. Getting to immerse yourself in a new culture, meeting new friends from the States and in Europe, enjoying some of the local cuisine, and partying until the sun comes up has already made this the best semester of your life. Though with all this fun going on you do tend to put some of those “responsibilities” off with a few white lies to yourself.
“Well, yeah I am eating pizza and pasta everyday, but I walk a ton so I don’t need to go to the gym.”
You’re right when you study abroad you do walk a ton, that is true. Though the amount of pizza, pasta, and booze that you consume 7 days a week probably will lead to your “Study abroad 15” but who cares, enjoy yourself while you’re here, you can work out when you get back home. So sit back and enjoy that glass of vino and enjoy that pizza Kevin McAllister style.
“Nobody can tell that I’m not a local.”
You might be able to speak the language well and buy some new clothes from the local shops, but your lack of accent and the times that you are wearing that North Face jacket or pair of Ugg boots. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but just embrace it and drink another Starbucks latte.
“Oh yeah, I can definitely afford ___________.”
Let’s be real, no college student can afford college, let alone have spending money, but delayed gratification is for adults and you’re not that yet. So use those savings, ask the ‘rents for some extra money, because you’ll never be back for an experience like this for the rest of your life, so make it rain.
“I’m only going to go out drinking on the weekends.”
Sure Friday and Saturday nights are a lot of fun and the clubs have some of the craziest nights out there, but some of the best memories you make abroad are on that Monday night when you have a test the next day and you decide to go out for “just one drink.” Then that one drink, turns into a round of shots, and turns into you staying out until 3 AM. But hey, battling through the pain, making it to class, and going home for a nap and some Netflix is just the typical schedule of a study abroad student. No great story starts with staying in, just ask my dude Dumbledore.
“My classes are pass/fail so I can skip class a bunch of times.”
A lot of abroad students are blessed with their programs only requiring them to pass the class and they actual letter grade doesn’t impact their GPA and that makes you think that you can just skip class whenever you want. Not going to class makes it so you don’t learn the information and a lot of programs have attendance policies that drop your grades for missing too much, so just zombie your way to class, even if you’re still drunk from last night. Having fun and traveling ARE the most important part of “studying” abroad, but I guess you should still show up to that whole “class” thing, don’t pull a Billy Madison.
