By: Anna Vaughn
Time management. It’s something us college students are all too familiar with in our attempts to balance our schoolwork while maintaining our social lives with friends. Even though some of us may be better at time management than others, the itinerary for the Go Global study abroad programs allows everyone to cross everything off his or her checklist.
As I prepared for my trip to Cape Town, I had friends and family constantly reminding me to never take an opportunity for granted and to not let one moment pass me by during my five weeks. I felt this pressure that I was going to run out of time or that I would forget to visit a major attraction. I honestly did not know what to expect and assumed my schedule would not differ from the general itinerary Go Global had sent to each student before we left for the trip. But soon after landing in Cape Town, I discovered that the program had incorporated the perfect amount of free time to ensure I would be able to squeeze everything in.
I won’t to lie to you: It can initially be overwhelming to be in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar faces and feel this pressure to manage your time well. After all, it’s important to take full advantage of this once in a lifetime trip. The truth is, everyone studying abroad is going to be in your shoes! Everyone is going to want to maximize their time and some people you meet might have a different bucket list than you do. But what I found to be the most helpful was listening to my roommates and friends to hear about all of the best restaurants and attractions that we couldn’t leave Cape Town without experiencing. We were able to compile a list that we all contributed to and promised each other that we would cross off as many things as we possibly could during our time in this amazing city. One night in my apartment, we wrote the bucket list down on a big poster board and kept it on our kitchen table to constantly remind us of everything we still wanted to see and do (which I think everyone should do on each trip)!
Since classes were only held in the morning, we had the afternoons and evenings to explore Cape Town. During our free time, my new friends and I had the opportunity to try new places to eat, shop for souvenirs at the Green Market, and experience the nightlife without ever feeling rushed. The great thing about Go Global is that a majority of things you would want to do in Cape Town are already built into the schedule! This included hiking Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island, and experiencing a safari game drive. So do not worry if you leave Cape Town or Greece without your checklist finished—you will still experience more than you ever thought was possible! Not to mention, it gives you the perfect excuse to go back and visit!
The moral of the story is don’t stress about being able to fit everything in while you are abroad. If you’re determined to maximize your time, you will cross off everything on your checklist and have the time of your life. The Go Global staff is there to help, and all of your new friends will be as energetic and excited as you!
You’ll be filling out your own slips of paper to put in the No Regrets Jar in just a few months when you’re abroad. But until then, we have a challenge for you:
No Regrets Jars aren’t exclusive to traveling. Write down a few things that are must-dos to you right where you are. For instance, in my little college town, I want to eat at all of the restaurants in town at least once before I graduate. What do you want to do? Make it happen.
-Anna and the Go Global team