- Deep feelings can coexist
I’ve been through moments of feeling both isolation and freedom, joy and loss, guilt and appreciation, all at the same time. I have learned to let these deep feelings flow and acknowledge that they are ever-changing. As emotions should be.
- Nothing is linear
There are good moments and bad moments. I hesitate to even say bad days entirely because that’s too much of a blanket statement when something as simple as my roommate telling me, ‘I saved you a snack to eat in the kitchen!’ can make a bad moment feel fleeting. This is deeply comforting to learn.
- Find your go-to’s
Every Thursday, I go into the cafe around the corner from my school, and am greeted by the waitress with a friendly ‘Your regular?’. My friends and I will hit the same few cafes in the city center and run into familiar faces. Having places that are consistent made the new city feel like home much quicker.
- Have a ‘cup half full’ mindset
For example, we might not have a living room or a TV in our apartment, but if we did, we wouldn’t get to have ‘movie nights’ where we all pile into our roommate’s room to watch something on one of our laptops. Some days it’s easy and some days it has to be a very cautious, deliberate choice, but one that will carry you through. The grass is green where you water it.
As a side note to this, I eagerly grasped the mindset to choose humor whenever possible. With moving to a new country and having numerous travel days, there has been plenty of room for error. I’ve often laughed my way through times that could have very easily left me anxious and frustrated. It is a much more enjoyable experience to turn these times into something light.
- Get out
Taking the first few weeks to walk everywhere and explore the new city allowed me to uncover my own hidden gems. Even now, I’m still finding new reading spots, parks to go to, restaurants to try, and streets I haven’t been down. The ongoing process of learning the ins and outs have kept things exciting, preventing it from becoming mundane.
- Sometimes all you need is a sweet treat
This one doesn’t need an explanation.
- Long distance friendships are important
They may not be easy or ideal, but these relationships are so vital and make reunions that much sweeter. Whether it means sending a formal invitation for a Google Meeting just to schedule a FaceTime call or planning a virtual ‘dinner date’ months in advance, it’s worth the extra work.
- Always keep emergency cash on you
I have dodged multiple dire situations just from keeping some extra cash on me. But always, always replenish the emergency fund as soon as it’s used.