The day is finally here! I’m beyond excited to study in Dublin, Ireland for the spring semester at Trinity College Dublin where I will be staying in an off campus apartment!
In this blog, I’m hoping to record my experience in Dublin as I am living it. Specifically, I have always had a love for photography and I was actually able to bring my camera with me. I always try to capture life through pictures because I think they are best way to relive and remember the best of what life has to offer. I am very excited to share my experiences, whether that be through writing or photography (two things I love!)
Now that I have arrived in Dublin, here are some of my thoughts about what it was like to prepare for such a big change:
The feelings that I experienced everyday leading up to my departure to Dublin were truly indescribable. There was excitement, nervousness, joy and everything in between. The day had finally come where I could experience a dream of mine since middle school, studying abroad and traveling the world.
Although there were many concerns and unknowns about studying abroad before I left, it seemed as though the most difficult thing was figuring out what to pack. I was able to bring one large suitcase and one medium sized suit case that I could store in the larger one. How do I pack my entire life into two suitcases? My moms answer:
Vac-and-seal bags.
These allowed me to compress many of my fabric items so that I was able to fit more in the limited space that I had. By using a hand help pump, similar to a basketball pump, the air was sucked out of the bags completely to flatten all of the items completely. Once packed, they looked like flat and hard seat cushions. I was able to pack more things and have the ability to bring more things home with me at the end of the semester because I could use the pump while abroad on the same bags. These were essential for my thickest items such as jeans, sweaters, towels and a blanket (to use the very first night until I could buy proper bedding).
I also found it helpful to consider what I could easily buy in Dublin that was not essential for my first night there, such as large bottles of cleaning supplies/toiletries. I have been able to buy everything little by little as I have walked around and explored the city, since everything is conveniently near my dorm. Although there were many things that I was nervous about not being able to bring, I have learned that flexibility and adjusting to the new world around you is a very special part of studying abroad that allows me to be independent in the city.
Being able to travel and study abroad has now become more of a privilege than ever before. The COVID pandemic has truly made the concept itself a leap of faith. However, I am very grateful for the opportunity that I have been given and I cannot wait to take advantage of all that Dublin has to offer.
More photos coming soon!
