Most of the time, when you tell people you are studying abroad they take it as an invitation to give you life advice. I spent most of my Christmas holiday hiding with my younger cousins in an attempt to dodge unwarranted travel advice from my relatives. At the time, I couldn’t bear to hear the words “once in a lifetime” or “learning experience” anymore. For one thing, I was too nervous about moving abroad to be willing to listen, and for another, I simply did not believe their advice held any substance. 

I was told to “enjoy every moment,” warned that I would “never get this time back” and encouraged to “try new things” more times than I could count in the days leading up to my departure. One of the biggest parting words I received from just about everyone was that I was going to learn more about myself than I had ever thought possible. 

Now, I can safely say I was mostly right. Most of their advice was trivial and only spoken because that is what you say to someone about to embark on a four-month traveling adventure. Mostly. There was one piece of advice from the vast sea of unsolicited enlightenment that stands out to me now, not only as true but also as something I never knew I needed. I have, in fact, learned more about myself in the past weeks than I ever had before. 

With every day I spent in London, I have come across a new challenge which has made me adjust and change how I perceive myself. For example, the cappuccinos I’ve struggled to drink every morning before class made me realize I’m a bit of a coffee snob (English coffee is just too watery). I’ve learned I’m good at navigating by guiding my friends through different train stations. I’ve also learned that I can somehow still function after not sleeping for over 24 hours. I found that out by learning that taking the bus to Stansted airport for a 6:50 a.m. flight requires a 1:30 a.m. wakeup (never take the bus). Last week, I hosted American trivia for elderly London locals, a little project the company I intern with hosts weekly. Apparently, I’m quite good at conversing with senior English citizens about young American culture. They were absolutely mesmerized by the idea of tailgating. They would have loved Fordham’s Family Weekend.

Though above all, the most prominent thing I have learned about myself is that I enjoy giving gifts. When walking through Notting Hill, I found myself stopping at every antique shop, thinking about how much my mom would love the tea sets on display. I spent some time at the Great Market Hall in Budapest browsing the Stein mugs because I knew my brother would think they were cool. In Vienna, I resisted the urge to buy all the vintage stationery available in the Schönbrunn Palace gift shop for my dad, who had been asking for photos of every historical building I saw. If I could find a way to teleport pastries from the afternoon tea that I attended in Kensington back to my friends at Rose Hill, who I know would love to try them, I most definitely would. With every sight I see, I think of someone who would love it as much as I do. In every new street I walk or corner I turn, I can see my friends and family reflected in the world around me. 

At first, each thing I learned surprised me in some way. I guess by 20 years old, most of us believe we are fully knowledgeable about the person we are or the person we want to be. When I found myself discovering these unfamiliar skills and traits, part of me felt like I was a new person altogether.

Which is why, for those of you reading who may wish to travel or study abroad, I’m going to give you my own parting piece of unsolicited advice. There is plenty about yourself that you don’t know yet. Plenty of things you will find yourself learning as time goes on. Plenty of situations where you’ll feel unfamiliar. But who you are now always comes from who you were. I’m picky about coffee because I’ve spent my summers working as a barista. I’m good at navigating trains because, like all Fordham students, I’ve conquered the impossible mission of navigating New York subways. I like giving gifts because of the friendships I’ve made and the family that raised me. Each new thing you learn about yourself isn’t really new at all. These things are puzzle pieces that have been there the whole time. When faced with new challenges, you begin to put the puzzle together.