The Spirit of Adventure

The ancient Romans had a phrase for it: Carpe diem. My generation also has a word for it: YOLO. My motto? I want to have stories to tell, stories of adventures and challenges and people that define and shape me.

My time abroad will teach me to navigate a new country and culture, and I know I will experience a wide range of emotions, from eagerness and excitement to confusion and homesickness, when facing all the positive and negative events such an undertaking includes. It is scary to leap into the unknown, but embracing uncertainty, feeling uncomfortable, and taking chances are the best ways to learn and grow.

The Road Across the Pond

One may participate in a study abroad program for a variety of reasons. Perhaps because it is an excellent opportunity to learn about another culture, to find a vastly different perspective in the field they are studying, or simply because it can feel like being on vacation while working to further your education. All of these reasons apply to why I wished to study abroad at University College Dublin in Ireland, along with more personal reasons, such as having family in the Republic of Ireland, being a dual citizen of both the United States and the Republic, and my grandfather having graduated from this very University. With my natural excitement for what awaits me, I also fully understand the challenges I will likely face, and what I ultimately hope to gain from this experience.