Reflecting on Where I Am
I’m just about at the two-month mark of my semester abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, and each day, I still walk around slightly dumbfounded at my new reality. Thinking back to a year ago, I did see myself on a study abroad program in Scotland. This vision, however, was a seemingly unattainable phenomenon that I relegated to an item on the ever-growing bucket list in my head.
It is easy to dismiss exciting possibilities as impossible — that is, until you stop viewing them as unattainable. Today, I’m in Edinburgh because I wanted to study abroad badly enough and decided to stop defining my goal of traveling internationally as an unreasonable dream.
Travel and More Travel
A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I were on the third night of our Twilight series marathon when I asked what everyone was doing the following weekend. At this moment, we collectively learned that the unanimous answer to this question – “nothing” – was code for “let’s go on a trip.” After a few Airbnb searches and a £30 return flight, I found myself getting off a flight in Dublin, Ireland, with three of my friends.
Traveling around Europe and the United Kingdom is surprisingly simple and affordable, making it a major priority while studying in Edinburgh. Also, having no classes on Fridays allows for plenty of three-day weekend getaways. Granted 72 hours to explore a brand-new city, we hopped from museums to parks, interacting with Irish inhabitants of Dublin and visiting tourists alike.
Last week was the university’s version of spring break, so all students had a week with no classes. While the break is called a “learning week” and is traditionally used to prepare for exams, I was quickly convinced to spend this time on airplanes and new patches of grass. I, therefore, spent the week eating odd Dutch food and walking along the many canals in none other than Amsterdam. Experiencing the unique architecture of a city that dates back to the 13th century, I can say Amsterdam was truly beautiful and charming. It was also riveting to be engrossed in a totally new language surrounding me (although just about every Dutch-speaking person could speak English.)
Looking ahead, I have trips booked to Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Lyon. Whether I’ll be spending an entire week or one night in these places, I am utterly thrilled for what exploration and enlightenment are to come.
A New Perspective on The Unknown
One of the best parts of studying abroad has been embracing the unknown as being full of possibility instead of a daunting experience. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll be doing in April or even next week, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with that uncertainty. This is not to say that planning is a negative thing. Rather, by being here, I have learned the importance of taking a second to breathe in the loveliness of “the now” – a moment often lost in the shadows of anticipation.
For many years, studying abroad and traveling in Europe have been my lifelong dreams. I must admit, though, that my mindset towards these plans has always lacked confidence. How could I fund studying abroad? Where would I go? How could I possibly do this alone? After growing intensely interested in the University of Edinburgh and researching study abroad opportunities at the University of Texas at Austin, my confidence began to grow.
Simply put, getting to Scotland was going to happen if I worked for it — and so I did. I learned a few things: funding this experience took hard work and time management. Not knowing where to go can be exciting. And after getting to Edinburgh and making friends, I was not at all alone. I’ve since broken my tendency to quickly deem my goals as impossible. If you truly desire to accomplish something, you can make it your reality.
This post was contributed by Emma Love Larson, a Global Ambassador for Spring 2025. Emma is a junior studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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