In 2025, we’re setting an intention to shake off the urge for perfection when we travel and place more of our attention on authenticity and presence. Will you join us?
If you’re studying abroad this year, what does this look like in practice?
- EMBRACE IMPERFECTION AS REALITY. There are times when things don’t always go as planned. The beauty of study abroad is that the whole experience builds your character. Getting lost once in a while, learning to cope with late trains, or accidentally choosing the completely wrong word to express yourself in Italian will make you stronger in the long run. These moments when things aren’t so perfect make us more flexible, more empathetic, more adaptable. Embrace the unpredictability of travel, and in each moment when things seem not to be going to plan, try your best to run with it and not let it ruin your day. It’s in those unplanned scenarios that some of the most meaningful memories happen.
- CHALLENGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND OPEN YOUR MIND. You probably have a preconceived idea of what a semester in Barcelona or Maastricht will look like, how the food will taste, how easily you’ll be able to adapt to the local lifestyle. But instead of seeking to confirm stereotypes, shake off all of the expectations you have before you leave and head abroad letting curiosity lead the way. Try different foods. Take yourself out of your comfort zone. Allow yourself to absorb all that is new, embracing the surprises along the way. Instead of focusing on how things “should be,” focus instead on what is.
- SHIFT FROM DOING TO BEING. It’s tempting to each new destination with a checklist of places to visit eager to tick off as many sights as possible so you feel like you’ve truly experienced it all. But travel can take you much deeper into a culture if you let go of the list. Take time to simply be. Be present in your surroundings, whether it’s a walk in a quiet park, a visit to a bustling market, or stumbling on a local festival. Notice things you wouldn’t if you weren’t paying close attention. If you can, have conversations with locals. Exchange a few words when you buy your morning coffee. Slow down and savor the simplicity of just being. Leave room for spontaneity too. These are often the moments that are most transformative.
- BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS. One of the things you’ll remember most about your study abroad experience is the people—the relationships and connections you forge along the way. It’s not about networking with an end goal so much as authentically getting to know people. Some of our students join softball teams or reading groups and make friends who become friends for life. If you’re in a homestay, hang around for a chat instead of rushing out as soon as you can, even if it means you’re stumbling through a conversation in a second language. Let your guard down sometimes when it feels safe to do so and share your own life and perspectives with other people too. Authenticity will shape your experience for the best.
- FOCUS ON SELF-DISCOVERY. While you’ll learn a ton academically while abroad, you’ll also learn so much about who you are, truly, as well as who you want to become. Make time to journal and reflect. Take advantage of completely different surroundings to release yourself from the expectations of those who know you best, and just be you. You’ll have space to try out new hobbies, challenge your current ways of thinking, or even try your hand at slightly more superficial pursuits like experimenting with your sense of style. You might uncover a side of yourself you didn’t know was within you. You might figure out what really matters to you. You might even realize that you want to go down a different career path than you thought you might like to take. Keep an open mind and you never know what you might discover.
So embrace the unknown, the unexpected, the unplanned, the occasional chaos, and the spontaneity of travel. There’s no space for perfection if you want to make the most of one of the biggest adventures of your life. Be present. Show up authentically. Stay curious. Let the magic happen.
Happy New Year! We wish you all a wonderful 2025!