10 Signs You Studied Abroad In College

When you decided to head across the pond to drink heavily and eat pastries embark on a brand new cultural experience, you probably didn’t really know what to expect. Because despite all the research and advice, there’s no way to know what studying abroad is actually like until you’ve had the opportunity to do it. Whether you’ve been home from your international adventure for five days or five years, you’re definitely a little different than when you left. Know the feeling? Check out the 10 signs you studied abroad in college!

1. You talk about it basically all of the time

If someone says the words “London”, “England”, “Europe” or “fish and chips”, you bet your ass I’ll interject and bring up the magical five months I spent in the UK sipping tea, eating fried fish, and binge drinking wine and Pimm’s. Ugh, I suck don’t I?

2. You miss the food

Doesn’t matter which country you traveled to, you still miss the native food sometimes. I definitely daydream about clotted cream and jam every time I walk into a Starbucks and see their pathetic excuse for a scone sitting in the display case.

3. You still have some foreign money stashed somewhere in your bedroom

And it’s never going to get used. I tried to avoid this by only paying in leftover coins during my last two weeks in London, but unfortunately, I still somehow arrived home with handfuls of them in my purses and pockets.

4. Post-grad budgeting doesn’t faze you

You lived off of family-sized boxes of off-brand cereal and toilet-water wine for an entire semester. A couple ramen dinners a week won’t kill you.

5. You know culture shock is very real and that reverse culture shock is a thing too

When you got back to the States (yeah, you called them “The States” for months after returning) you had to get re-acquainted with enormous serving sizes, tipping, harsh American accents and, of course, the terrifying prospect of driving again.

6. You have enough envy-worthy #TBTs to last ‘til the end of time

Post that pic of you holding a sloth at a zoo in Budapest, or frolicking on the beaches of Brazil, or sipping wine in the south of France. Milk your experience for all it’s worth—that’s what Instagram is for, right? Making high school frenemies jealous AF, right? Right??

7. RyanAir traumatized you in one way or another

Maybe they charged you an astronomical fee because you forgot to print your ticket before arriving at the airport, or you had the audacity to check a bag, or boarding a plane that looks more like a school bus with wings just doesn’t quite sit well with you. Whatever it was, if you traveled at all during your time abroad, you dealt with RyanAir’s bullshit, and through some sort of miracle, lived to tell the tale.

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8. You caught some serious wanderlust

If you didn’t have it before you studied abroad, or didn’t quite understand its powerful pull— you definitely do now.

9. You’ve become a pro traveler

I’m a lifelong over-packer and unfortunately not even months of traveling abroad could fix that. But jumping on planes and buses to new places every weekend teaches you how to plan ahead properly and take on obstacles as they come. If things start to go wrong, a seasoned traveler knows how to make the best of a crappy situation.

10. Some of your best friends are from your time abroad

Maybe you’re separated by a few states or an entire ocean, but no matter what, these people will be your friends forever. Something about traveling together bonds you in a way that not many other experiences can. Just cherish it, okay?

What was your experience like studying abroad in college!? Share in the comments below!

Featured Image: wehearit