Goodbye America… Those are the two words I never thought I would say less than 365 days ago. It seems like just yesterday I was a classic case of the student who really wanted to study abroad, but did not think they had the means to do so. But yet, with the help of some amazing people and organizations, on March 6, 2020 I boarded a plane to the United Kingdom.

Words cannot describe the excitement and nervousness I was feeling. I was terrified, excited, and anxious all at once. This would be my first trip out of the states, and I truly wasn’t sure how to feel about it. I was excited to see the culture and differences, but terrified to leave what I knew as “normal.”