Things I learned overseas as a freshman

I talk about my time spent abroad nearly every day. It’s my go-to talking point when I meet new people and it’s the first thing I tell new freshman about when I meet them. It was such a formative part of my freshman year that it only makes sense for me to gush about it.

I lived in Europe for six months during my freshman year of college. That’s more than half of the academic year. I romanticized Europe all throughout middle school and high school. I even studied French for five years. I never imagined that I would be able to actually go there.

I could spend this whole time talking about the amazing things I saw, the amazing things I did, and the amazing people I met. But that isn’t what this is about. This is about the things I learned while I was abroad and I couldn’t have learned them here.

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable

I am not one to put myself in situations where I am uncomfortable but somehow I spoke absolutely no Italian when I stepped off the plane during a time when people shun you simply for being American. It was difficult for me to learn Italian because I studied French for so long and I had just spent the summer practicing Spanish with my co-workers. But I wanted to learn Italian. I spoke it to shop keepers and gelato vendors and especially my host mother, Giovanna, even when I messed things up. You are only uncomfortable if you let yourself be.

Me, Adriana (my roommate), and Giovanna

Traveling by yourself can be better than traveling with others

The second time I went to Europe was this past May. I studied in Strasbourg, France and I only knew one other person who was going with me. My friend had studied in Strasbourg the previous fall as a freshman so she knew her way around. She had an internship with the Council of Europe so I spent a lot of time wandering around by myself. The best trip I took while I was in France was to Zürich, Switzerland. I got on a bus, speaking mostly Italian when I meant to speak French, and just went for the day. I definitely do not speak German so I spoke French the whole time. After finding a free tour in English, I spent the afternoon with a woman who has lived in Zürich for her whole life and she showed me all of the famous pastry shops. I stuffed my face with an apple tartlet and there was no one there to judge me except for myself.

Zürich, Switzerland

But, there is nothing better than sharing experiences with new people

I had met someone I went to Florence with prior to going at an event for students accepted to SU in Albany. He stood up and said to everyone, “Hi, I’m Jon. I’m actually studying in Italy next fall.” I knew without a doubt from that moment that we would be friends and we are. I met my roommate at Own the Dome. She came all the way from West Virginia and we stayed up until six in the morning before deciding to sleep for twenty minutes. The people I met while abroad will be my best friends for the rest of my life. There are only two other people in this world who walked with me on a highway in Rome at 8am. There are only two other people who climbed the stairs of the Eiffel Tower with me. There is only one who drank hot chocolate with me at the Christmas market in Vienna. They would be among the first to be invited to my wedding and I love them endlessly.

It’s difficult to come back to the USA but life is difficult

I got a lot of criticism from adults for going abroad instead of going straight to college. Let me clear it up: I chose to go abroad. Coming back to Syracuse has been difficult for me and for most of the people who went abroad as freshmen. I’ve done a lot of different things on campus since coming back because it is difficult to jump into college when everyone else already has their place. The first thing I joined was FYP and it helped me adjust to being here. Since then, I have joined eight other organizations, including Delta Phi Epsilon, Il Circolo Italiano, and What Theatre. I struggled (and still do) when I came to Syracuse simply because I cannot replicate this experience and I cannot fully explain it to anyone.

While it’s really difficult for me to find my place on a campus of over 13,000 students, I don’t regret going abroad. I came home independent and a lot happier than I was when I left. That is worth more to me than missing my first semester here.