I studied abroad in Dublin from January to May 2023. I was initially skeptical about studying abroad, as I transferred to Notre Dame and already felt like I missed out on a year on campus. As the middle child of a family of five girls, I also was intimidated to live an ocean away from my family for five months. My older sisters chose not to study abroad, so the experience seemed enigmatic, stressful, and overwhelming. I also needed to go to great lengths to ensure I would fulfill enough credit for my science major to make the decision a possibility.

Studying abroad was an incredible experience in so many ways. I only had one friend going into my program of 55 Notre Dame students, so it was a wonderful opportunity for me to make new friends and broaden my horizons. I learned so much about myself, my priorities, my travel preferences, my Irish culture, and my world perspective. Here are my tips for those considering going abroad:

Document your time

Studying abroad feels like a dream. Your life is staggeringly different for about five months, then you return and hit “resume”. When you are abroad and living in an entirely different environment, you will naturally reflect more. Think about certain aspects of the culture that seemed surprising or off to you–why did you feel that way? Do they do things better here or at home? How do people treat you at local spots? What have you learned culturally and about yourself? Do you think about the world differently? It’s important to jot down your thoughts on paper or online because your time abroad will be over before you know it–and even though you think you’ll remember every moment; it all becomes a blur without intentional preservation. Additionally, if you travel often, make sure to write down where you go! You never know when you’ll get to go back, but people always appreciate restaurant, museum, park, and lodging recommendations.

Say ‘yes’ to everything

Something that people often struggle with when studying abroad is the lack of routine. It is dependent upon your class schedule and where you live, but when I was in Dublin my days were less regimented. Rather than feeling like you need to fill that time exercising or killing time on your phone, say ‘yes’ to window-shopping, visiting the bookstore, roaming around your town, and talking to locals. When you study abroad, your learnings tend to be 30% academic and 70% personal, cultural, and social. It’s different in a wonderful way–you can focus on your personal development and see how the world is different. But you can only do this if you go out and explore.

Do things alone

Because we get to be surrounded by friends often while at school, some students are self-conscious about exploring or adventuring on their own, thinking they’ll be judged for not “having friends.” Well, in reality, you should take advantage of any free time you have, whether your friends are free at the same time or not. Think of all the time you’re wasting by being afraid to go out on your own! I feel confident that you’ll surprise yourself with how much fun you have, and there is a high probability you end up chatting with local people and making new friends. Honestly, it can be tough to break out of your bubble and make new friends unless you’re alone because talking to one person is much easier than attempting to chat with three people that are already friends. So, get on the bus or the train and go do something for yourself, by yourself.

Put yourself out there

You might go into your abroad experience with lots of friends or without knowing anyone. Either way, make sure to have an open mind and really put yourself out there. This is an
opportunity to make new friends, and if you never give yourself the chance, you will 100% miss out on getting to know people who could have added beautiful color to your life. Ask him/her to grab coffee, to walk in the park, to wait for you after class, to get lunch, to go thrifting, to go to the pub, etc. The options are endless! The worst thing you can do is pick your three friends immediately and only chat/travel with them for your entire time abroad. Everyone is experiencing being abroad in this location for the first time, so hold on to that. It’s new for everyone. People miss home, can’t talk to their family as often, are unfamiliar with their surroundings. Allow yourself to embrace the new experience and let new people in to enjoy it as well.

Avoid comparisons

Depending on location, university, time of year, budget, and mindset going in, everyone has their own unique study abroad experience. Do NOT compare yourself to others! Suzie may have gone to 25 countries abroad, but she didn’t get to make any local friends and traveled solo often. Brendan may have gotten to go surfing 10 times, but he stayed in Ireland and saved money by eating pasta every night. Sandra made new best friends but struggled with passing her classes. Cara posted gorgeous photos on camels in Morocco but must retake biology II because it didn’t count. James may not have traveled much, but he had an incredible experience working in a lab on campus and working on group projects with English students. There is always more to the story, so don’t make all your judgments on the six Instagram posts your older friends dropped throughout the semester.

No matter what the situation may be, everyone experiences a roller coaster of emotions throughout their time abroad, and no one’s experience is perfect. If you want to travel a lot, awesome. If you don’t want to travel at all, that’s also awesome. You just need to figure out what is best for you independent of what others plan to do.

If you’re planning to study abroad... ENJOY IT! I wish I could have the time back to do it all again.

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