Do you find yourself zoning out in class, daydreaming of the better times you used to have mere months ago? Do you struggle to eat at the dining hall, having to choke down each mediocre morsel? Maybe you feel disconnected from your friends because they just don’t understand the kind of life-changing experience you had? If you’re a Georgetown student who recently returned from abroad, it may be hard to adapt back to the regular campus routine. But never fear! Follow these tips below, and you’ll find a sense of meaning back in your life in no time.
Skip class. When you were abroad, you skipped class all the time to explore the world, staying in hostels and building character. You may not have any reasonable excuses for skipping class at Georgetown, but you can still re-live the thrill of playing hooky. Who cares if each class costs like $500… you can’t put a price on freedom.
Ride the metro. Navigating a new metro system was a great way to feel independent, and you could explore new parts of the city when you accidentally took the wrong bus. Now that you’re back, grab your trusted pair of AirPods, turn on some Taylor Swift, and ride the bus around D.C. As you gaze out the window at the exciting gray architecture and listen to Tay Tay, you’ll be sure to feel like the main character once again.
Eat outside at Epi’s. You raved to your friends and family about how cute the sidewalk cafés were in your city abroad. Get another taste of that lifestyle and eat at one of those metal tables outside of Epicurean & Company, where no one else ever sits, especially when it’s 30 degrees out.
Eat in the middle of the street. Speaking of exotic culinary experiences, remember how cool that street food was? Luckily for you, you can have street food in Georgetown, too! Just head down to M Street, order DoorDash to your location on the side of the road, and try to eat your food while dodging aggressive D.C. drivers and electric scooters.
Post aesthetic Instagrams. Your Instagram looked so cool while you were abroad, posing in front of famous palaces and cathedrals. How are you going to continue being cool in D.C.? Take aesthetic sunset photos and pictures of your shoes on the sidewalk. Caption them with something about how misunderstood you are.
Karaoke in your dorm. Studying abroad was full of inspiring cultural experiences, like getting drunk and going to karaoke bars with friends from around the world, butchering the lyrics to songs in the foreign language you’re supposed to be “proficient” in. Miss it? Just try drinking alone in your dorm, playing the karaoke versions of your favorite songs on Youtube, and singing at the top of your lungs at 2 a.m. Your neighbors will surely love you!
Talk about studying abroad. As a study abroad alum, you are now an ambassador for this revolutionary experience. Make sure everyone knows how awesome it was! Whether you’re networking at a party (if you even bother going—Georgetown doesn’t know how to party like Amsterdam), catching up with that ex-situationship, or choosing a topic for a writing assignment, you can always find a way to talk about abroad.
And there you have it. With this advice, you’ll be the coolest Hoya to ever Saxa. No more sitting around feeling depressed and friendless. Now, everyone will want you to join their club, and Jack the Bulldog will ask to take his picture with you. You’re welcome.
Grace Stephenson is a junior studying Linguistics with a minor in Biology. She spent last semester discovering herself in Seoul, South Korea.
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