The Study in Study Abroad

Overwhelmed by the city of Copenhagen, a growing "must see" list, and increasing travel plans, it was easy to forget that I came to Europe to study, not just travel. I came here as a student, not a tourist. This semester was not a vacation.

And I had heard it all before. I had watched the videos, read the blogs, all which reminded me to set apart time to do homework, to study: to prioritize my academics.

But did I listen? Absolutely not. Lost in this adventure that felt so separated from the reality that I was used to, I procrastinated. I put aside my studies. And I paid the consequences.

I remember so clearly, and I am a little traumatized by what Midterms felt like this semester. After almost two months of skimming readings, half paying attention in lectures and forgetting my main purpose, I found myself suddenly drowning in actual homework, with piling due dates that once seemed so far away, with more to do than I had time for.

This resulted in almost two weeks of sleepless nights, a growing to do list, with assignments coming at me from every angle. Assignments based on lectures and readings that I had barely engaged with. So, I had to put on my big girl pants and own up to my mistakes. I had to buckle down, and grind out the best I could do given the circumstances. I finished. I passed, but I could have done better.

Academically, this semester should not have been this difficult. I should have gotten higher grades, but because I didn't put in the effort from the very beginning, I struggled quite a bit.

But boy did I learn from this! I think that because of this semester, because of my struggle and the frustration I feel when I think about what I could have done, I think (and I hope) that my last two semesters of college will not repeat the same pattern. Maybe that was the point of this painful experience?