Kelsey Singer: A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

Before my semester abroad became a reality, I always dreamed of doing an exchange to another country. For the two years prior to my exchange, many of my close friends took off for places like Switzerland and Ireland for a semester and bombarded my news feed with beautiful photos and inspiring stories. For me, that cemented my decision to apply for study abroad and I haven’t looked back since.

 

 

I definitely had fears that I wouldn’t make any friends or that I would miss home, but those were quickly put to rest. Being part of an exchange program means there are going to be other students just like yourself leaving their homes for a semester. I immediately met so many people upon arriving in Vlissingen who I would attend all my classes with and all the weekend parties with. It was so exciting and there was so much to learn that I didn’t have a second to miss home.

 

 

Looking back on it now, it is hard to believe how quickly it went by. It is definitely okay to miss your friends and family and even your comfy bed at home, but in times like that I reminded myself that I would always have those things to go back to, and an opportunity like study abroad was unlikely to come again. It is also a chance to be more outgoing, to meet people you never would have had a chance to get to know and to really enjoy every moment as it comes. The only mistake you could make going on a semester abroad is not going at all!

 

 

Kelsey Singer is a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree student at Capilano University. Kelsey studied abroad at HZ University of Applied Sciences in Vlissingen, The Netherlands.