Stressed out September

Thankfully September is rolling out because September literally felt like three months. School has been pretty stressful already which doesn't give me much hope for the rest of it but I am trying to stay hopeful! I think that this has been the most difficult adjustment, coming from Dublin to Northeastern. I am trying to prioritize and to focus but I am finding it extremely difficult to not day dream about only having less than two semesters left..meaning only two semesters left of homework ever again in my life!

Co-op is also coming up for me next semester which is further adding to the stress that September is bringing. Debating to do CO-OP in Boston vs. NY has been a struggle for me but i am focusing my decision not on the place but on the job. Decisions, decisions.... I recently have had this idea in my head of living abroad after I graduate. I am thinking of London but I really don't know what will be in the cards. I really just want to do something out of the ordinary before I have a family and a career, the travel bug isn't out of my system yet but I really don't think that it will ever leave.

I was thinking the other day of how thankful that I am that I started traveling at such a young age. I really think its so important for students to start traveling early on in their lives. Once you travel, your mind set really does change and life after that isn't really the same. All of my abroad experiences have influenced each other and pushed me to want to see more and more of the world. I've seen a lot for only being 21 but I am still so curious to what else is out there and now I'm more curious as to what life would be like to not only live abroad for a longer period of time but to work abroad as well. I am very grateful to have chosen a college that supports and encourages studying abroad as much as Northeastern does. I don' think any other school would have enabled me to go abroad 3 times in less than 4 years. I have to say that all of those experiences made my college experience what it is and I really wouldn't trade a moment for anything. From all of these experiences who would have thought that I may possibly end up living abroad for a bit? Its crazy and scary to think about but I think that moving abroad for a bit would really open my eyes to a broader picture and really challenge me personally and professionally.

Exciting things are to come but for the present I have to really focus in on getting to my goals and not lose sight of what is important even though it may be hard to see right now. Good things come to those who wait and I have no choice but to wait about 2 years

.. so hopefullyALL of my dreams will come true (or some would be okay with me )

Updates soon!!

Briana

Back to Basics

So after a crazy semester of traveling the world, meeting new people and studying in a completely different country, I guess its safe to say that I needed to snap back to reality sooner or later. I had an amazing summer though which continued my travels-this time in the US. I went to New Orleans, Georgia, North Carolina and Miami. I also had a summer full of concerts: Lana Del Rey, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, John Mayer, Phillip Phillips, Maroon 5,  Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z, TOO MANY! Now the summer is unfortunately over and I am back at Northeastern for a full semester of classes and internships and jobs oh my! I guess this is the real reality hitting me. Doing homework, going to work, studying- it really didn't hit me that I would have to enter real life again. NEWS FLASH-I do and I will have to for a very long time. No more weekend trips to Venice or Croatia. No more Vogue fashion events in London and definitely no more Irish accents to put a smile on my face when I was having a bad day.

Okay, maybe I am being a little over dramatic, and if you know me that is definitely how I am, but regardless, coming from being abroad and then having the summer of my life it is hard to adjust to life back at Northeastern. It is now about three and a half weeks into the semester and I am finally adjusting and feeling better about things. At first I was very upset and very weird about being back. I felt as if I was gone and the whole world flipped and then I came back. I was nervous that everything would be different when I came back, although some things did, everything pretty much is the same and I really was welcomed back with open arms. I was lucky to have my best friends Matt and Chelsea who also studied abroad to share my feelings with, only to find they were feeling the exact same way.

I really think about it and I really do think I was the happiest I have ever been in my life last semester in Dublin, and I was afraid coming back would change that. When I was abroad I promised myself that I would concentrate on the NOW instead of always looking forward to the future because now is happening and I don't want to miss a single minute. I now know that no matter where I am I can see the beauty in life because to be honest I feel blessed every second to be living and I have come to this realization through my abroad experiences. I have so much to look forward to this semester: my Screen Gems and Sony internship, my amazing boyfriend and incredible friends, my come back to my acapella group-Treble on Huntington, and many more things that will definitely make me very happy. I am also a study abroad ambassador at Northeastern which helps me with my missing my abroad experience and Dublin in general. I am able to speak to my peers about studying abroad and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunity. If I could convince one person to take the leap and to go abroad and have the experience that I did I would be satisfied. It is an amazing experience and I can not wait to extend my travels hopefully after graduation!

Well, work is calling and I'm off to another crazy afternoon.

More details to come,

Briana