It’s been almost three months since I started my study abroad program in Galway and it’s become one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve had so far. I’ve learned so much about myself, what makes me happy, what motivates me, and I truly feel like studying abroad has changed me for the better. When reflecting on how study abroad has impacted me, these are the three main discoveries I’ve made.  

Here I am roaming around the streets of Cobh. 

1: I am a good planner and an independent traveler 

Studying abroad in Galway has taught me to become even more independent and comfortable with myself, especially in an unknown environment. When I planned my trip to Cork, I didn’t have anyone to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do when I was there. During my research of the area, I found out about the town Cobh, which is located on one of the islands in the city’s harbor. I thought the area was so beautiful and instantly bought a train ticket to go there and explore it for a day.  

It was scary at first for me to plan a trip somewhere that I only just found out about, but Cobh turned out to be one of my favorite places in Ireland. The Cobh playground had a gorgeous view of the water, the Titanic Museum was incredibly fascinating, and the Cathedral was stunning. I enjoyed hanging out with the locals in a small pub listening to music, and I loved wandering the streets and seeing so many colorful houses.  

My trip to Cobh boosted my confidence in planning trips and having fun by myself without needing a big group. As much as I love traveling with a bunch of friends, I’m glad I was able to have time to do everything that I wanted in a day without having to worry about others. 

If you’re on a budget and trying not to spend too much money on adventures, look up when bands are playing free concerts and discover new bands! This one was my personal favorite. 

2: Family is one of the most important things to me 

As much fun as it is to be abroad, I do miss and think about my friends and family at least twice a day. I can’t help but feel like by being abroad and separated from my old environment that I’m losing my old life somehow. Video calls have been very comforting for me and helps a lot with my homesickness.  

I don’t regret studying abroad in any way, but it has also taught me not to take my time with my family for granted. For St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, my friend Bella came to visit me, and I had a blast being able to meet with one of my closest friends again. It was very reassuring for my anxiety that people aren’t forgetting about me back home and that I have a great support system waiting for me to come back. 

I took my friend Bella out to enjoy some traditional Irish music with my friends on St. Patrick’s Day and it was the coolest day ever! 

3: I enjoy being adventurous and trying new things is better than feeling stuck 

This semester I decided not to pay extra to get a gym membership, which meant that I had to give up my favorite hobby: rock climbing. Before going abroad, I would rock climb several times a week for hours at a time. Now, with that missing, it was time for me to find a hobby.  

I started going on little adventures such as biking, going to free concerts, and bowling. These are things that I could have easily been doing back home but for some reason I just never did. It took me flying across the world and living somewhere new to realize that sometimes I can get so stuck in the same weekly routine that I forget that I have the freedom to do whatever I want.  

I took a trip out to the Aran Islands to go bike riding, and I found a new friend! 

There are other major factors to consider as well, such as that I have been saving up the money to do more in Ireland that I wouldn’t put money aside for in the U.S., but also, I personally just stopped adventuring out in college after two years of being there. I had a very mellow semester before leaving where I just stayed in my comfort zone a lot and didn’t put myself out there the way I would in my freshman year. When I travel back home, I want to take my new adventurous side with me.  

One of my main goals for myself this semester was to write a lot of poetry so I could try and capture the feeling of living in Ireland into words. But for some reason, it felt impossible for me to start writing poetry for the first few months of living in Galway.  

It wasn’t until I went into Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop and Aisling Family Bookshop that I got inspired to start writing. I bought a small book for four euros and then decided I was going to start a blackout poetry project. This way, I was able to create poetry, but I wouldn’t have to stress about coming up with the words myself; I would simply be finding the meaning through an already written text.  

I take lots of my inspiration for my own personal poetry from walking around the city. Here’s Latin Quarter where you can find all sorts of different people and places to be inspired by! 

I found myself working on my poetry project between classes and before going to bed and it helped me feel in touch with my creative side that I was missing. Over time, I felt less stuck creatively and I started jotting down things just from walking around the neighborhood. Have I written anything super amazing yet? No, I haven’t. But I’ve had so much fun writing silly poems and I don’t see myself stopping that anytime soon.