I have just passed the mark of living one hundred full days in Europe. I have explored ancient castles, been immersed in foreign dialects if not languages entirely, been taught the history of whisky and seen all its glory, and had the rare chance to be able to pick apart my own culture through the unbiased lens of others.

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    As the semester comes to a close, I have been struggling to condense my experiences into understandable segments to share. I have chosen to list only a few of the more important things that I found during my time: the lifestyle changes that I have made and will make a point to keep with me as long as is possible. I have come to regard a few incredibly “normal” habits with near disgust and feeling of disgrace for having taken part for the first nineteen years of life.

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    1. Attachment to material things. I came to Scotland with only two suitcases for five months and have learned to pack everything necessary for a week’s time in less than ten minutes into a backpack I can carry for extended times and distances. I have learned how very little a person really needs for day to day living and, more importantly, how insignificant any inanimate and concrete object is. The items I possess will fade into the recesses of my memories long before the experiences themselves — things fail to provide the long-term enjoyment so yearned after by all. That is a promise.

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    2. Constraining learning to a school-based activity. I have not forgotten that I am writing this article for a University-based paper, nor am I aiming to underestimate the worth of a formal education. There is undeniable value in the information learned in lecture halls, but there is a weightiness and benefit of self-taught learning that is unmatched. With the power of curiosity and the resources that each and every one of you reading this paper has, you are able to discover new hobbies, passions, and avenues whenever you want. I am unable to speak for everyone, but I know that I take pride in and treasure what I learn independently. There is often such a negative attitude toward this, and the source of it is somewhat of a mystery, but I now know that there is no reason to ever deny yourself the chance to soak anything up.

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3. Wasting time. This is not meant so much to be an insult to ourselves individually, but to our culture for pushing such a high stress lifestyle that we are not capable of taking advantage of the things we should. We live lifestyles so packed full of “necessary” tasks that we rarely have time for anything else. I have been privileged enough to have time to breathe this semester — and not only breathe, but to observe and enjoy. For the first, and likely the last, time in years I was not bogged down by routine and obligations, scraping away at my motivation to do anything extra. Without feeling so constantly drained I started to see the opportunity in every gap. There is no time that is not precious — take that twenty minutes between classes to listen to the birds instead of waiting outside the door. Park at the back of the parking lot, if to walk and enjoy the sun or just to get a new perspective. Treat every nuisance as a new opportunity, every bit of time like you have valuable plans for it, because you will never know what you did not see if you refused to look.

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I will end this mini-series with this: a semester abroad has not quenched my thirst. It has only tempted me to reach for more, inspired me, and filled me with a hope that each and every person is able to experience something as moving as living across the pond.