One Week In

So reading over some of my past few blogs I realised that I haven’t really focused on me at all and so I’d thought I’d take the time to write something short and sweet about my time in America so far comparing how I was feeling exactly a week ago when I arrived, and today, one week on.

For a long time leading up to the trip my feelings about it were mainly (well completely) emotions of fear, anxiety, more fear and bit more fear on top of that. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Emily then I would have bailed from the trip months ago, I very nearly did on several occasions. For anyone reading this considering studying abroad I don’t want to put you off but it is a lot of work and while I do love America, they definitely don’t make things easy for you - or themselves for that matter! But I powered through, not really thinking about the end result of all my planning and sorting and eventually flight day came and I rushed around the airport going through all the mechanics of getting through security and to my gate on time etc without still really considering the final result. So as you can guess, it hit me, probably somewhere over the Labrador Sea and oh my gosh I have never experienced butterflies in my stomach quite like it, so much so that I actually thought it was motion sickness or something serious, appendicitis maybe; yes I am a slight hypochondriac! As I briefly explained in my previous blogs the first evening wasn’t quite so great either: we struggled up 3 flights of stairs with our suitcases not realising that the lifts were working (thank God we’re on the third floor not the sixth!) and arrived in our prison cell of a room having not met a single soul on campus. Not a great start.

A week later and my prison cell is now a comfy home, still in need of a little decoration, but definitely more comfy and I have had a lovely day and know I’m going to go to sleep smiling. I can’t exactly pin down why it is that I’ve had such a nice day, definitely something to do with the sun coming back after the awful weather Irene brought with her, but also just the fact that everything’s starting to fit into place. I’ve met and got to know most people on my corridor and we’re planning a trip to Boston this coming weekend which is Labour Day weekend; I’ve skyped my friends and my family and I’m still constantly meeting and getting to know new people. I have my first class tomorrow morning which, I have to admit, I am rather excited about and I bought several of my course books today which, in my true bookworm style, I’m quite looking forward to snuggling into bed with after posting this blog and reading. All in all a very good day and it’s only going to get better... and colder... but I’ll cope with that when it comes to it!

A happy Molly in the beautiful Storrs Campus.