Brooke H. spent a semester in Florence with CISabroad, and had to learn first hand one of the hardest parts of studying abroad, the return home. Here are her tips to make this emotional time more enjoyable.
No one understands what you have experienced and how much you have changed besides those who went through it by your side. Coming back home is a bittersweet moment to see your family and friends after months of being away, but at the same time a part of you still remains in your study abroad host country.
The following tips will help the transition upon your return home until your next adventure.
- Keep in touch with the friends you made while studying abroad. These are the people who will understand what you are going through the most. Even just talking about your favorite memories will help your transition.
- Make a scrapbook with everything from pictures to museum tickets to look through when you still have a hard time believing the whole experience was not a dream. Looking back through a scrapbook will really allow you to see all of the experiences and places traveled.
- Print pictures and decorate. Hanging pictures or trinkets from your travels will help ease your transition. Although it may make you sad looking at them, I believe it helps put your time abroad into perspective and share memories with others.
- Write in a journal. These feelings are completely normal and aren’t always discussed because there isn’t a way to explain it besides when its felt. Writing about your experiences or even your memories along with emotions can help you cope with returning from the time of your life.
- Live in the moment and realize that studying abroad is really the opportunity of a lifetime that not many college students get to experience! Plan trips to visit new friends or plan more adventures to continue exploring the world.
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