“I am not the same person I was yesterday. I am not the same person I was a month ago. And, I, undeniably, am not the same person I was prior to studying abroad in a city that stole my entire heart. I have become a fearless global citizen.
And I am here to tell you that you can, too. Be fearless. Be the spontaneous and free living spirit you have always craved to be, and just do it.
‘But it’s out of my comfort zone.’ I mean, is traveling to a foreign country truly in anyone’s comfort zone? Just do it. You will find that you are not alone in this crazy world.
There will be others that you will discover, and together, you will learn to love to run into walls blindly and get lost on adventures. And the best part is these individuals become absolutely irreplaceable and entirely unforgettable.
So, take the train to Pembrokeshire and jump off the cliff. Ride the bus through Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands and stand stunned as a deer walks right up to you. Let your jaw drop in awe while in front of Sagrada Família wondering how any problem you have could mean anything when you are facing a structure so remarkable.
Pizza your way through Italy and climb the countless steps up and down the Amalfi to burn the carb loaded guilt. Do not forget to throw your coin into Rome’s Trevi Fountain and bask in your Lizzie McGuire moment because, ‘This is what dreams are made of.’
Get lost in the beauty of Switzerland and the adrenaline found inside the caves of Buda. And of course, soak in the Széchenyi Thermal Bath because, darling, you will be tired—but you will never regret one step you took to get here.
I pulled a tab one day off of a poster while walking to my 8:00am class. At that time, I was in what felt like an endless cycle of work and school. So, on a complete whim, I typed in that URL from this tab—this tab that could be no bigger than my thumb, and I was immediately welcomed on a study abroad home screen.
I clicked ‘sign up’ and never looked back.
And that will forever be one of my favorite days.
Because that day—that day I decided to take control of my life.
I came back stronger.
I came back confident.
And I came back feeling unstoppable.
Nothing remains between me and my goals except hard work and passion.
No one said it would be easy.
I am here to tell you it will be a trek.
But if it were not a journey, everyone would have already done it.
So, for the love of all things good—just do it.” ~ Stephanie from the United States #FearlessGlobalCitizen
