My Study Abroad - The Road from Anxiousness to Happiness

 

YES, this is me feeding a cutie little kangaroo😍...Taken in Cairns of Queensland, Australia - one of the many places I explored during my travels

As many of you may already know, I spent my Junior Spring of undergraduate school abroad in Sydney Australia. I attended UNSW, a university home to more than 50,000 students... QUITE a shock compared to my small New England school maxing at about 2,400😆. I had been set on studying abroad since being a freshmen in high school, often fantasizing about the magnificent places I could explore in Europe, South America, or wherever I had eventually decided to visit. Once entering college, I began the process of researching schools, working with advisors, and planning the classes I could take to fulfill any (substantially EASY), requirements. I had officially chosen to attend school in Australia by the end of my sophomore year. The pristine beaches and iconic accent was all too attractive to me and I felt this was a place I would never have another 5 months of my life dedicated to visit. The 18 hours of flight time was certainly intimidating but I knew the adventures would be worth the arduous travel.

Upon my junior fall, I began to develop much anxiety as the trip and departure was approaching. A semester abroad in a beautiful country with little to no school work - what on earth could be anxiety-provoking about that?! There were the normal concerns; the finances, traveling alone, making friends in a new country despite a cultural barrier, missing my family and friends from home, etc. BUT what truly kept me awake at night were my concerns about food & fitness. What would the cafeteria be like? Would there be sufficient healthy options for me to choose from? Would I have access to a gym? How would I find the time and place to workout amidst all of my travels? These are a few of the common questions that would repeatedly cross through my mind as the February departure date came closer. But since the beginning of my recovery, I had been dead set on preventing these mental struggles from controlling my life and my happiness. I was committed to making this semester-long journey. No silly worries were going to detract from my happiness.

Fortunately, I managed to push most of these worries aside and arrived safely to UNSW on February 15th. I had packed plentiful nutritious bars (@squareorganics, @questnutrition, @nocow, and @powercrunch to name a few of my faves!!😋) and ended up having plenty to spare. The meals and snacks provided on the planes were significantly better than expected and upon arriving to Australia, I was pleasantly surprised. I should have known that food would be fresher, less-processed, and better tasting than in America... but the food anxiety was too powerful to consider any positive thoughts. The meals in the cafeteria were REAL, home-cooked meals made by such kind chefs I talked to daily. There were always vegetarian/vegan options that I often chose simply because they looked so delicious. Even while traveling, the restaurants and food trucks were unbelievable. I learned that the infamous "avocado toast", had originated in Australia in the 1980's... while I had been thinking Americans were the geniuses all along! I can safely say I was pleasantly surprised by the nutritious and delicious options that Australia had to offer.

Due to the concerns I had leading up to the trip, I almost backed out of spending my semester abroad. I concocted excuses related to not reaching necessary credit requirements and not having funds to support such extravagant travel. I had expressed these concerns to my mom (aka my bff), who had consistently encouraged me not to miss this "adventure of a lifetime"... UGH it's annoying to admit she's always right. I cannot adequately express how thankful I am that I conjured up the bravery to make this trip. I truly feel that such a long and independent experience increased the flexibility and improved my relationship I now have with food. While exploring the beautiful lands of Australia, my concerns about food and exercise were certainly diminished. I made some of the best friends - both American and Australian, that I still maintain a Facebook group chat with. Together we skydived in Wollongong, explored the beautiful beaches of the Gold Coast, visited the Blue Mountains with the infamous Three Sisters rocks, and even managed to fly to New Zealand for our spring break.

Looking back on my trip and the expeditions I had, I am more than grateful for this opportunity and would recommend a semester abroad (specifically to AUS!!), to anyone debating doing so. Please do not allow trivial concerns about maintaining some "perfect physique" hold you back from any life changing adventures. If I had allowed my anxiety to take control, I would have missed out on a six month trip that not only developed my independence but deepened my insight and understanding of another culture, molding me into a more well-rounded and thoughtful human being. If you're currently debating going abroad, I hope this has persuaded you toward a similar decision to mine! Leave any questions or comments... Thank you for reading😌
XOXO - Coco

The Infinity Pool of Bondi Beach

THE OPERA HOUSE...

Skydiving in Wollongong - Yes, I almost peed myself