Alexa, play “Reborn” by Kid Cudi.
A dreaded day full of flying has finally come and we’re on our way back to Pittsburgh. Insert sobbing emoji here.
I certainly plan on sleeping for part of the longer flight (rereading this days later, I actually only slept for a half hour so jokes on me), so I’m currently attempting to string my thoughts together in the midst of the first flight as I write this.
I could say so many things about this trip. Driving to the airport on May 5, I felt nothing but nerves & fear. I knew no one on this trip except for Kayla and Diego – and even at that, I haven’t talked to Kayla much since freshman year and now just in passing on campus, and Diego and I only recently started to become friends and hang out outside of class.
So truly, I was terrified to go abroad with, basically, a group of strangers. Even Julia and I had hardly spoken to one another in class until we had to pick roommates, and my exact thoughts as I creeped through her Instagram were, “Huh, she’s got tattoos & had different colored hair, pretty sure we’ll get along.”
Forrest Gump said it best, we go together like peas and carrots.
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I understand the purpose of this trip was to see the media agencies, and they were fabulous. I’m so grateful to be fortunate enough to take part in this trip because it truly broadened my horizons as to where I could go with my future career. James’s discussion was reassuring that you don’t have to be entirely sure of what you want to do next, and it’s also reassuring to hear so many of these professionals came from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.
Additionally, I believe an underlying purpose of this trip and other opportunities like it were to network with peers and form relationships. The relationships I made on this trip could not be matched if we were in any other environment. During our group discussion on the last day when reflecting on the trip, I said that if you throw a group of strangers into buses, planes and small hotel rooms for two weeks, it’s bound to be a good time – and I stand by that.
I’ve formed a bond with almost everyone on the trip, and I’m extremely grateful for my pips – you know who you are. We’ve made memories in some of the most beautiful cities in the UK that are unique to us. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’ll hold these memories close to my heart for years to come.
Coming from a horrible fall semester where I struggled severely personally and academically for the first time in my college career, I was questioning a lot. I didn’t know how useful this trip would be, I was scared that I would be an outcast and I worried that I wouldn’t make the most of the trip.
I experience the exact opposite. I’d move to the UK tomorrow if I could to work, I made incredible friends that I hope last a lifetime and staying up until 4 a.m. some nights was an absolute necessity.
The amount of happiness, confidence and independence I regained from this trip is incredible, and I’m grateful this trip broke me out of my shell after a low period in my life.
To the UK, new friends, great professors, Tara’s sunglasses, unforgettable moments and renewed happiness – I’ll pip to that.
