Student Bloggers

Happy first blog post! I’m beyond excited to be writing for the Arcadia study abroad blogs to share my hopefully awesome adventures as I study in Scotland at the University of Stirling. Ironically enough, I’m writing this on a plane except it’s not going anywhere near my abroad destination. What I’ve now dubbed my Farewell Tour, I’ll be traveling from Florida to New Jersey, New Jersey to Washington, DC and then back home (NJ) to fly off to the United Kingdom. Needless to say, this will be a very busy two weeks for me!

As I fly on this domestic flight (which conveniently is only a third of the length of my trip to Scotland), I can’t help but slightly freak out about the next time I’ll be boarding a plane to leave the country. I’m not a huge fan of flying, and a flight of up to seven hours is a little nerve-racking to me. I just got stuck in the back of the plane trying to maneuver my way out of the bathroom and around the food cart – hopefully that won’t happen when I’m flying over the Atlantic. However, my dislike of flying (and the inevitable embarrassing occurrences on a flight) will have to end soon as I plan on traveling as much as possible throughout the semester.

I think the most “scary” part of this experience is the beginning. When I first moved to my home university, The George Washington University in DC, I wasn’t too nervous; I had already spent a summer there, and I knew a decent amount of people going into it. I knew what to expect. Now, I’m going to a completely new country where I don’t know anyone. The typical questions race through my mind when I think of first getting there – will they like me? Will I be able to get the most out of my classes? Will they make fun of my American accent? These are the questions that plague my mind, but if I were to really stop and think about it they’re all pretty petty and even laughable. When I really think about it, the truly horrific thought is how am I going to pack when my suitcase for two weeks is already overflowing?

The struggle (of packing) is real. Also, never trust your little sister to take a picture of you because it will turn out like this (see above).

Trepidations aside, I’m thrilled to be starting this semester at a new university. I can’t wait to meet new people and experience a different culture. I’m hoping to continue my studies as a journalism major as I write and film about my time in Scotland. As cheesy as this sounds, I love hearing new stories and sharing them through media. I hope you enjoy my story as I begin this new adventure in Scotland! 

Until the next blog post,
Sam