Words and photos by Maria Eduarda Brizon, who studied abroad with ASA in Sevilla, Spain during the spring semester of 2025.
When people hear “study abroad,” they often picture four months of traveling, taking cute photos, and making new friends. And honestly, that’s not completely wrong. I was lucky enough to have Mondays and Fridays off, which made weekend trips so much easier. But what I didn’t realize before going was how serious academics still are, even when you’re in a new country. In my program, classes were pass/fail, which sounds relaxed until you learn that missing three classes means you’re dropped from the course entirely. No credit. No exceptions. And honestly, it makes sense. Yes, there’s usually less homework and fewer exams than back home, but professors abroad expect you to show up, participate, and work with your classmates. Attendance and group projects matter a lot more than you might expect.
But academics are only one part of the challenge. Study abroad pushes you in ways a one‑week vacation never could. You’re not just sightseeing; you’re living a whole new life. You’re adapting to a different language, figuring out public transportation, trying foods you’ve never heard of, and learning how to ask strangers for help. Even something as simple as getting dressed changes when the local style is different from what you’re used to. A vacation gives you a break from your routine; study abroad asks you to build a brand‑new one. Before I left, I had no idea what the workload would be like. I assumed it would be easy, but it ended up being more about balance than anything else. One thing that helped me was creating a routine after class. I’d head to the library at Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla, grab a coffee, and get my work done before heading home. It made my days feel structured, even when everything else around me felt new.
Another thing I loved doing was studying in cafés, but that came with a learning curve. In Europe, it’s not always common to sit in a café for hours with your laptop like we do in the U.S. So, I learned to ask the baristas first. When it was allowed, it became one of my favorite ways to explore the city while staying productive. Little habits like that made my transition smoother and helped me feel grounded. And that’s the thing: study abroad isn’t just about the places you visit. It’s about the life you build while you’re there. On vacation, you get a temporary identity, new places, new people, new experiences. But when studying abroad, those things become part of your everyday life. Even though my family wasn’t with me, I still felt at home because I had my boyfriend and one of my best friends there. I had my routine, my balance, my goals. I had a life.
Yes, you’ll travel. Yes, you’ll have fun. Yes, it will sometimes feel like a dream vacation. But you’re also going to class, navigating challenges, and learning how to live independently in a completely different environment. You’ll test yourself in ways you didn’t expect. You’ll grow in ways you won’t fully understand until you’re back home. And you’ll rediscover parts of yourself you didn’t even know were missing. Studying abroad is not just a vacation; it’s a chapter of your life that changes you. It’s messy, exciting, overwhelming, and unforgettable. And if you let yourself embrace both the fun and the challenges, it becomes one of the most meaningful experiences you’ll ever have.
Thanks, Maria!