When I initially committed to studying abroad back in early spring, I was hesitant about the fact that none of the friends I had already made at UA would be joining me in Oxford. During my orientation, there were groups of people who already knew each other going into the program, such as the honors students, who had lived together and gotten to know each other in Blount. Yet, as a freshman English major with minimal club involvement, I felt like the odd one out. Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, yet I still worried I would not make any friends during my time in Oxford.
Looking back on that fear, I realized being “alone” was actually one of the best things that could have happened to me. Because I did not have a group of friends to hover around, I was forced to step outside of my comfort zone. I had to introduce myself to people, sit down next to strangers, and start conversations even when I was nervous about whether we would actually get along. What initially felt like a disadvantage became the reason I met so many people.
Though I highly doubted my ability to learn everybody’s name by the end of the summer term, I quickly realized I was wrong. By striking up random conversations with whoever I could, I learned the names of each and every person in the UA in Oxford program with ease. Even more surprising was that I met somebody I now call my best friend. We met on our first day of the program at a dinner hosted by the college where we were staying. What began as a simple conversation turned into spending nearly every day together. We explored Oxford together, as well as many different cities and countries. I found myself laughing over the silliest things with this person, creating inside jokes about things that probably wouldn’t have been as funny to other people as they were to us, and made memories that I know I will carry with me long after leaving Oxford. The funniest thing is that neither of us went into the program expecting to meet our best friend. We simply happened to be two people who were willing to strike up a conversation with somebody new.
My experience studying abroad in Oxford taught me that traveling “alone” doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely. Sometimes, not having somebody familiar beside you creates the space you need to find someone new. If I had traveled to Oxford surrounded by my closest friends, I might not have felt the need to branch out. Instead, I was given the opportunity to make brand-new friends and share new experiences with them.
While studying abroad was something I initially feared doing alone, it ended up being such a life-changing and memorable experience. I traveled to Oxford expecting to learn about its history, fantasy writers, and culture. Though I did gain knowledge of all those important aspects, I also left Oxford with new lifelong friends, a newfound confidence in myself, and so many unforgettable memories. Most importantly, I learned that sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone and being willing to travel “alone” can lead you to the people you were meant to meet. I am so grateful for the opportunities that studying abroad in Oxford gave me.