Our generation has grown up using social media, posting all the exciting things that happen to us — whether on the main Instagram grid or a private story. Our friends and acquaintances are all too familiar with the cool things we do, and we strive to create the most aesthetic and creative social media feeds to make all the people who stalk us jealous.
The Doomscroll Spiral
We’ve all been there: a few hours into doomscrolling and you see a friend of a friend spending her semester in some gorgeous European country. Her outfits are perfect, the scenery is perfect, everything is perfect.
Obviously, you know the apparent perfection is a lie — she’s probably so exhausted! Exhausted in Florence, though. It can be easy to feel jealous to the point that when it’s your turn you want to one-up all those who came before you. It is important to be mindful of the real reason behind traveling and studying abroad.
Why We Study Abroad
A study abroad program is meant to expand global perspective. It’s an opportunity to learn and develop new skills while immersing yourself in the culture of a new place. While it is rewarding and fun to document the trip and all the outfits you spent hours planning, taking perfect pictures shouldn’t be a distraction from the real fun of the trip.
The Truth Behind The Post
In reality, traveling, especially for long periods of time as a broke college student, can be exhausting and smelly, and things almost never go according to plan. Taking good pictures can be frustrating when you’re in a bad mood, and hiding behind a screen keeps you from living in the moment and witnessing the scenery around you.
Looking back at pictures later, you won’t have very many real memories to attach to them if the sole purpose of the outing was capturing the perfect poses for your Instagram feed.
Prioritize Experiences
At the same time, studying in a new country is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many, and wanting to capture as much of the trip as possible is completely reasonable. Having photos and videos to show family and friends and to look back on decades later is super sentimental and important. However, candids and quick shots of memorable moments are all that is really necessary. A quick snapshot of a cool building or beautiful scene can bring back floods of nostalgia later on.
Instead of attempting a perfectly composed Instagram slideshow of flawless pictures with hours of effort behind them, put your effort and limited precious time into having valuable conversations and meeting new people, eating delicious food and immersing yourself fully in a new place. Collect memories and souvenirs, mementos just for yourself. The world doesn’t need to see your study abroad for you to have a good time during it!
What are some of your favorite study abroad memories? Let us know on Instagram or X @VALLEYmag!
Wow, marvelous blog format! How long have you been running a blog for?
you made blogging glance easy. The overall look of your website is magnificent, as neatly as the content material!
I do not even understand how I stopped up right here, however I believed
this post used to be good. I do not recognize who you’re
however certainly you are going to a famous blogger when you aren’t already.
Cheers!
Hey there would you mind stating which blog platform you’re using?
I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a tough time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for
something unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to
ask!
I like this blog so much, saved to fav. “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.” by Peter De Vries.
In real life, a large percentage of subjects are more
advanced than a common simple observer will probably decide on, based on their position. I’m not saying that am a pro
on this unique subject at-hand, therefore I want to guess it’s for some other
website participants to give consideration to. I am not attempting to start trouble
or be demoralizing. Instead, I recognize from knowledge that this will be the
event. I am qualified in Perinatal Massage Therapy, and in my personal selected concentration, I witness
it a ton. Brand-new Postnatal Massage Therapists are
more likely to exaggerate claims; that is, they don’t at this point honestly grasp the limits of
their particular “scope of practice,” and consequently they could make
comments that are too general when engaging with patients.
It’s the comparable phenomenon; they have been introduced to a topic, don’t understand the comprehensive level of the idea, and now
believe they are the Specialists.
In real life, a large percentage of subjects are more
advanced than a common simple observer will probably decide on, based on their position. I’m not saying that am a pro
on this unique subject at-hand, therefore I want to guess it’s for some other
website participants to give consideration to. I am not attempting to start trouble
or be demoralizing. Instead, I recognize from knowledge that this will be the
event. I am qualified in Perinatal Massage Therapy, and in my personal selected concentration, I witness
it a ton. Brand-new Postnatal Massage Therapists are
more likely to exaggerate claims; that is, they don’t at this point honestly grasp the limits of
their particular “scope of practice,” and consequently they could make
comments that are too general when engaging with patients.
It’s the comparable phenomenon; they have been introduced to a topic, don’t understand the comprehensive level of the idea, and now
believe they are the Specialists.
You really make it appear really easy together with your presentation however I
in finding this topic to be really one thing which I believe I might never understand.
It seems too complicated and extremely extensive for me.
I am having a look ahead on your next submit, I’ll try to get the grasp of it!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google,
and found that it is truly informative. I am going to watch
out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue
this in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts and I will be waiting for your further post
thanks once again.
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I believed this
post was great. I do not know who you’re but certainly you are going to a famous
blogger should you are not already. Cheers!