You learn a lot about yourself after moving to a foreign country and rebuilding your life from scratch. At least, I did. One thing I discovered is the importance of creating a place that feels like home wherever I go.…
First trip while studying Abroad
Reading week might soon be coming to an end, both at U of T and at UCL. Just like in Toronto, this week is meant to help us catch up, or for a couple others, get ahead. Since my first…
To the Arctic Circle and Beyond: How to Travel as a Student
It’s reading week, or, as it’s called in Finland: ski holiday! I opted for the Finnish interpretation this year, swapping the library for a trip to Lapland. Twelve hours of travelling later, I’m blogging on a cow farm 6,224 km from Toronto,…
Re-reading A Journal Entry I Wrote During My Study Abroad Experience
January 28, 2020 People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. – Anonymous Tomorrow marks the first day of a new semester, but this feels more like an end than a rebirth. Friends who were…
Finding joy wherever I go!
I’ve always believed in the importance of slowing down and looking around us. Beauty is everywhere! This week I’ve been reminded of this over and over again. It rained aaaall weekend. When Monday came, the rain seemed to have stopped.…
Sustainable sustainability
Although I always try to be sustainable, I feel that sometimes I could be doing more. Back when I was applying for UCL, they required me to complete a short course on sustainability, but it wasn’t until I got here…
How I Prioritize My Mental Health While Studying Abroad
When you think about studying abroad, you likely think of road trips and food tasting and museums. But, maybe we should also expand the conversation to include the ways that studying abroad can influence your mental health. Here are five…
Studying Abroad: Settling in
As I’ve repeated countless times, studying abroad had always been a dream of mine. Even when I was much younger, and still in middle-school, I knew it was something I wanted to do in university. And like all my friends keep telling…
Making Spirits Bright: Surviving the Dark Winter in Finland
“Kaamos” is the Finnish word for “polar nights:” some places don’t see sun for three months. Helsinki, where I am, is southerly enough to get some light–almost seven hours per day now! Still, it’s not as luxurious as the nine…
New Year, New Places
Instead of flying back to Toronto after the holidays, this year I flew all the way to the UK. I always knew I wanted to go abroad, at least for a semester. Now that I finally am abroad, I’ve had to…