Bronco Bloggers Abroad: My Worries are Behind Me
The following blog post was originally published on Western Michigan University Study Abroad Office’s blog, highlighting posts submitted by study abroad students. This post was written during my summer in London for the “Media Ethics in London” course.
Joshua Sanchez
Film, Video, & Media Studies
Media Ethics in London
For the seasoned traveling senior,
My passport expires in four years, will it still work this July? Will I need everything that I pack? Is the time on my ticket Michigan time or Chicago time? Do I have enough room for souvenirs? What if I’m too old for this?
Do I…?
What if…?
Maybe…?
I’ve had countless questions flooding my mind these past few weeks and months before studying abroad. What was odd was that I’m not a strange to travel. I’ve stood in TSA lines before I discovered Pre-check. I find a thrill in navigating terminals while dodging roller bags and ever-changing time tables.
But somehow, someway, traveling on study abroad changed all the rules of the game for me. I somehow worried all about the basics and a few extras.
Packing required multiple test runs to see if everything I could possibly need would fit in my bag. I worried more about outfits for two weeks in London than I did for one month of school. I bought packing cubes and all to make sure everything has a fit. It wasn’t until I sat down with realistic expectations and dragged myself back to reality did I figure out that I didn’t need all that I first packed.
While I debated which shirts and pants brought the most possible outfit combination, I also had to gather my papers. Passports are a bit important for studying abroad. I’ve had one for several years now, but I couldn’t help myself but repack and check that expiration date as a bedtime ritual. I had to take another moment to step back to figure out that I would be okay.
But as I worried about outfits and passports, I also looked out and saw all my friends starting careers and moving to new places. I worried if this was the best use of my time. It’s hard to think that after this trip my time in school would be done. I was excited and worried. Did I really need this? Do I?
Oh, I do.
Graduating or feeling like your falling behind your peers is a terrifying thought. But what is worse is regret. I met so many older people in my life that told me to shoot my shot, take my turn to explore and see what I can really do when the training wheels come off. I’m not just exploring a new place, I’m exploring new people, ideas, careers and values.
The idea of a whole new stage and place to live was overwhelming but just taking a step back brought things back together. It’s going to be okay, it’s going to be fun, exciting, eye opening. I’m starting a new chapter with a whole new adventure with a class that interests me and is bringing everything I’ve learned in four years together. I was worried about the day I would sit in this airplane seat, now I’m excited for take-off
Now, the worries are behind me. In fact, they’re 3953 miles behind me.