When I stepped off the plane in Florence this past January, I simultaneously felt like the world was at my fingertips, and like my world as I knew it was ending. 

I was so excited for my semester abroad, something that I had been dreaming of for many years, but I had several concerns that were hindering me from getting fully excited about the trip.

These concerns almost fully stopped me from going abroad, but I got over them and ended up having the best four months of my life. 

Missing out on things at home

Missing out was a fear of mine, even while I was still in the states. I could only imagine the feeling would be worse when I was halfway across the world, living six hours ahead of my friends and family. 

I knew I would see posts and pictures of my friends hanging out or see family dinners I was missing out on and feel left out. I was going to be experiencing new things and places, but I was worried about how the FOMO would affect my enjoyment of them. 

One way I overcame this issue was scheduling times to talk to my friends and family on the phone and get updated on their lives. This allowed me to feel connected with them even though there was a large distance between us. 

I also found that scheduling plans with my friends for after I arrived home helped me realize that even if I was missing out on plans, there was still more to look forward to. 

Feeling alone

Walking into an experience without knowing anyone who will be there can feel very intimidating. When I left for my semester abroad, I went in without knowing anyone. 

The fear of being lonely and not knowing anyone abroad was one of the biggest things that was holding me back from this experience. I thought everyone who was going abroad already had a massive friend group — making me the odd one out. 

A couple of weeks before I left, I ended up reaching out to one of the random roommates I was assigned and we started talking for a bit. Forming that one connection before I left helped ease that tension, and we talked about some of the fears we both had. 

In the end, I think going into this experience alone was the best thing I could have done. It encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and I ended up walking out of the experience with some of the strongest friendships.

Shock and adjustment

Having a solid routine is something that brings me a lot of comfort in my daily life. I like knowing my way around my town, knowing the best place to get coffee and the comfort of having my own space. 

Knowing I was stepping into an entirely new routine and world where I would be starting from scratch was terrifying. I would have to establish a new schedule for myself, find my new favorite places and learn my way around a new city, all while tackling a language barrier and culture shock.

After a few weeks getting settled into classes, I was able to establish a routine that contained some elements of the ones I had at home. This brought me comfort and stability, while still having new experiences. 

In the end, I was able to fully immerse myself in Italian culture and language. This open-mindedness allowed me to find some of my new favorite places that I cannot wait to go back and visit!

Olivia Montgomery is a writer. Contact her [email protected].