Readjusting to Carleton after life-altering experience abroad

I’m lucky to have had many life-altering experiences abroad in my life away from home.

I’ve hiked through the canyons of Utah, stood atop the highest peaks in the Alps, and talked with Indigenous peoples in the depths of the Ecuadorian rainforest.

Yet despite all that, I still live in the same house and come back to the same incredible friends. I’m far from perfect when it comes to adjusting back to “normal” life, but here are some tips if you just had an incredible trip abroad that you miss with your whole heart.  

Let yourself miss your time abroad

You had a special experience!  Let yourself miss it. If you don’t miss it at least a little bit, you never really loved it that much; that’s my personal opinion, at least. I think the real key here is not letting the “yearning” prevent you from doing other cool things where you currently are.

At Carleton, there are so many great friends who can help you reconnect with campus after being abroad, and your true friends would love to hear all the stories and crazy adventures you went on. Remember to lean on them for help.

Don’t suppress your emotions, talk to people for help, and remember to reflect on your experience. I find that the more I reflect on something, the clearer everything feels in my head. I give it more respect, understanding, and feel more comfortable with it. I’m no longer fighting for the past and scratching to go back. Instead, I have already learned all the lessons I can and have appreciated everything I could. It’s a good spot to be in! 

Think about what you’re grateful for and appreciative of back home

We all tend to romanticize the past. When I was abroad, I missed my family and friends from home a decent bit, and now that I’m back home, I miss my solo time abroad. It’s a tough spot to be in and a vicious cycle to be trapped in.

Get out of it by staying in the present. Feel the sunlight as it gently grazes your skin as you leave your dorm in the morning. Remember to feel the pain in your stomach when you’re laughing. One day, this will be a memory, like all other moments in your life; it will fade and morph with other moments, so enjoy what you can while it lasts. 

I understand that all this is fairly vague. Just remember to appreciate where you are and ground yourself in the moment. It will make you more thankful for what you have because if your life back home only lasted 4 months, just like a study-abroad, you will also value every single second. As much as it is nice to meet new people and do new things, it can be just as nice to sit still and be around familiar faces. 

Incorporate “Microadventures” and embrace novelty and discomfort

A big part of studying abroad is the novelty of it all. The different climates, cultures, peoples, friends, etc. There’s a lot of truth in experiencing novelty, and it can be important to bring that back to Northfield, a place that can feel so small and entrapping. I’ve already written a blog about how to keep small-town Carleton interesting here.

To elaborate further, some other fun activities include:

1. Playing sports that you and all your friends are not the best at… like Basketball 
2. Ask a friend to teach you how to knit 
3. Go water-coloring in the arb. 
4. Board Games and Tea with friends. The library has lots of board games to check out if you don’t have any! 
5. Spontaneous snowball fights… You can also always grab a snowball, put it in your freezer, and then (safely) throw it at your friend in June. 
6. Collecting leaves from the trees 
7. Pick a direction and walk for as long as you can. My friends and I will do this soon! Stay tuned for a future blog. 
8. Sign up for a KRLX show with a friend 
9. Attempt to cook. 
10. Go to Olaf and meet some new friends. 

That’s just some of the ways you can “spice” up your time at Carleton. There are many other things you can do, and the more creative the better! 

Try these little tips and tricks! 

Thanks for tuning in, and I’ll see you all next time. Peace.

From,

LW

Leo Wang (he/him/his) is a prospective Political Science (International Relations) and Geology Major from Newton, Massachusetts. You can typically find him in the Carleton College Climbing Gym, where he works as a staff member, setter, and class TA. When he’s not climbing, he typically plays one of his instruments: guitar, Violin, Viola, or Erhu (a traditional Chinese instrument). Speaking of the Erhu, Leo is also involved with Carleton’s Chinese Ensemble. There, he is a musician and also works in a staff role, transcribing scores. Another hobby of his is the outdoors. He loves running in the Arb and disconnecting from technology by going on long walks. Lastly, Leo loves being social. He can often be found waving to others from across the bald spot, talking to strangers at various events, and trashbagging with his friends down the Bell Field Hill. He’s always open to chatting and feel free to contact him for any questions about anything.