Choosing to study abroad is scary regardless of how many people will tell you it is the opportunity of a lifetime. Most of the people that you will talk to haven’t been in your shoes and therefore, they don’t necessarily understand the complex emotions that might come with leaving home. It is very important to keep in mind that this is your experience and it doesn’t have to meet anyone’s expectations but yours.

Not everything is going to go right. You might decide on a location just to find out that they don’t have your program or you might find the perfect flight just to refresh and realize that it is suddenly $1,000 more expensive than it was 5 minutes ago. It is going to be fine. There are so many thing that you have to get in order before you are ready to go abroad. Don’t let one thing deter you from having a positive outlook on the experience.

Finally, consider what YOU want. You can ask the opinion of everyone that you know but this is ultimately your trip and you won’t be happy if you do what you are told rather than what you are comfortable with. If money is the problem, apply for scholarships. If your family isn’t on board, explain to them how important this is to you. Everything will fall in place if you listen to what you want.