Coming back to school has been a bit of a whirlwind. After my semester abroad, where the only “extracurricular” I did was travel on weekends, it’s been a huge adjustment to go back to work, mock trial, student government, and all my other responsibilities. It’s been lovely to see my friends in the United States again, although the following conversation has been played out so many times:
Friend: “Hi! How was study abroad?!”
Me: “It was awesome! I did a lot of traveling.”
Friend: “That’s so great! Your photos looked really cool.”
Friend: *moves on to another topic*
It feels so weird to relegate my study abroad experience to small talk, because it’s probably the most life changing experience I’ve ever had. And so here I am, readjusting to my normal schedule and trying to fit myself back into social life with my friends, but I don’t know if there’s any good way to sum up how much I’ve learned and felt and done with those few months.
I miss European bakeries, and passing historic buildings every day on the way to class, and my commute. I miss my lifestyle of traveling on the weekends to cool and exotic places, and wandering through the streets of Copenhagen during my free time. Most of all, I miss the friends I made in Europe. I wish they could go to school with me in the States too.
At the same time, it’s nice to have a job again with real income. I love the apartment I have here in Evanston, now that I finally get to live in it. I missed my friends here, and even though all my friendships don’t feel quite the same, I’ve been enjoying the chance to reconnect and to talk to them without a 7 hour time difference.
Readjusting to life here has been strange, but good. I’m already plotting ways I can go back to Europe, with a family trip to Spain over the summer and hopefully a research project abroad as well but I have to apply for that.
If you’re still following this blog, I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my future trips to Europe. Vi ses!