June was a month of both beginnings and endings for me. My final exams had finally ended, which I was really happy about. But soon after, I realized the next ending would be saying goodbye to my good friends. It was really sad because, although I had only been in Manchester for a little under a year, I made so many meaningful connections. It was also incredible to become friends with people from all over the world — Wales, France, China, Turkey, Kazakhstan and more. Even though I could feel my time abroad coming to an end, I knew I would always cherish the memories and friendships I had made.

Although there were many endings, as I boarded my plane back to America, I could feel a whole new set of beginnings rushing in. I was excited to return to my normal life — my family, the comfort of my childhood bedroom, my hometown friends, my local Trader Joe’s and my car. But this time, returning home felt a little different. I was coming back with a brand-new perspective on life. I learned to say yes to more opportunities and to be open to new experiences. I became more willing to make new friends and realized that everyone has an interesting perspective on life to offer.

Since starting this blog post, I’ve been back home for two weeks. At first, it was a bit of a shock. How is it that suddenly I’m back? I fell back into my routine so quickly that it almost felt like I had never left. But beneath everything I do, I can still feel the lessons this study abroad experience taught me. I’m no longer afraid to be passionate about the things I care about. I’m not afraid to put myself out there. I’m not afraid of big changes. And for that, I will forever be grateful for this study abroad opportunity!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: University of Manchester