The main piece of advice I would give students is to take full advantage of your study abroad experience. Take a step outside of your comfort zone and do things you would not normally do. Experience the local culture by immersing yourself completely. This means trying foods that you normally would not and talking to new people.

During my trip, I worked on a team with people from Cyprus and Iran. I was able to learn so much about their cultures and see what kind and caring people they are. I tried traditional Iranian food and even learned a traditional dance. Even though I was in Portugal, I was able to get an amazing new world perspective by taking the time to talk to new people outside of my UA group.

Take full advantage of your time abroad because it will fly by faster than you think. Put that Netflix series on hold and instead go out for a night on the town with friends. This being said, get your rest. It is easy to burn yourself out very fast. It is all about balance.

Put yourself outside of your comfort zone and leave social media and tv shows for another time. You will likely only be in the place you are visiting once, so it is extremely important to take your time to truly experience every moment. Enjoy the little moments and take a deep breath to remind yourself of how lucky you are for the study abroad experience.