I love my Northeastern routine. I love my friends, my morning Dunkin’, and my go-to study spot in ISEC. I always feel comfortable, and my days don’t have many unknowns.
I would try to switch things up though. Some days I would take a different way to class. Or try a new recipe. And I would have a slight schedule-change every few months with new classes or a new co-op.
And I was growing. I was getting new and amazing jobs and opportunities, spending time with different people, and working toward my academic and professional goals.
But in a routine, growth can only be sustained for so long. In a routine, it’s easy to say what you won’t do and what you’re scared of.
I had always viewed my fears as a part of me. I didn’t view them as a choice, but rather things that were out of my control.
For me, these fears put a limit on growth. I always prided myself on taking charge of my goals and working towards them. But in some ways, I was halting my own progression by letting fears take over and dictate my decisions.
A new place
I was texting my roommate the other day about my time in London. She said that she’s seeing me grow in ways that she didn’t know I needed to… and I didn’t either. But by getting out of my routine and being removed from all friends and areas that were so comfortable, I was finally able to push out of my comfort zone. I am now able to see my fears as self-imposed restrictions standing in the way of me and my goals.
Getting out of my comfort zone has definitely been the most valuable part of studying abroad for me. Everything is new… the people, the food, the public transportation, the buildings… all of it. And people deal with all of those changes in different ways. But I decided when I got to London that I would embrace all of these changes, and fully immerse myself in the moment. It turns out that immersion helped me to finally push away my restricting fears.
Ideas for pushing yourself while abroad
What you get out of your study abroad experience is really about what you allow your experience to be. You could easily just find the American chains, eat exclusively Five Guys and Shake Shack, shop at H&M and Urban Outfitters, and you’d probably have an awesome time.
But what about if you made yourself a little uncomfortable, and ate at a French restaurant with all menu items in a different language? Or if you shopped at a store where you weren’t familiar with the sizes or styles? Imagine all the new things you could learn and experience.
1. Book a weekend trip
While there’s a ton to do in your host city, there is a ton more to explore right at your fingertips. Booking a weekend trip to a new place is really liberating. It gives you the opportunity to be completely in control of your transportation, housing, and activities, which gives you a lot of independence and power.
For these same reasons, weekend trips are a challenge. They push you to get to know yet another city or country, and adjust to the local language and culture again. This adjusting is exactly what gets you out of your comfort zone, and forces you to do things that make you uneasy at first.
2. Set goals
Go into your trip with a firm list of goals for yourself while you’re abroad. You don’t have to cross everything off your list, but it’s important to, at least, work towards things. Here are a few of my goals:
- Travel for a weekend
- Take the public transportation
- Go to the top of tall buildings
These activities were things I was nervous about — but by setting these goals, I’m not letting fear take control anymore. These goals should look different for everyone, and should push your boundaries.
3. Stick to local brands
Avoid the American brands of chips and go for a local snack. You can get Lay’s anywhere — Wotits (my favorite British snack) are a rare find! If you’re out, ask your waiter or waitress what a popular drink or dish is. While it’s more comfortable to eat what you know, it’s more rewarding to branch out.
4. Hang out with people from different universities
While you’re studying abroad, there will likely be a lot of Northeastern students in your program. It’s super comforting to have people from home with you when you’re abroad, but really try to make a friend group with people from other countries and universities to get the most out of your trip. You may have a bit more difficulty coming up with things to talk about at first, but you’ll learn a lot in the process.
You have the power
Maybe it doesn’t take getting out of your normal environment to encourage these changes and get yourself out of your comfort zone. Maybe going on co-op changes your outlook, or maybe it’s going home for a bit. But for me, being removed from my routine and being dropped in another country was exactly what I needed.
My point is that you can only grow if you let yourself grow. You’re the thing that’s standing in between current you, and the brave and fearless you.
