As my time in Australia comes to a close, there are many things I would like to say to my pre-departure self. First, I would like to express the need to make the most of every day. Throughout the program, I have learned many productivity skills and tricks to get my responsibilities out of the way so that I can take part in other, more fun, daily activities. This is something I have struggled to do throughout college. However, Australia’s day-to-day culture makes it a more feasible task. During my second week here, my roommate and I were walking through a Sydney suburb called Newton, and I saw a quote that said, “There are only so many hours in the day.” As time went on, I saw how many Australians chose to live with that idea in mind. People’s days are not solely based around work or school; they often find time to work in enjoyable activities, even if it means waking up at 5:30 am to go see the sunrise at Coogee Beach before class. The laid-back attitude in Sydney makes this objective more manageable to follow and is something I plan to take back with me to the United States. I would tell my previous self to wake up every morning with the mindset of doing and accomplishing multiple things.
I believe I have grown a lot as a person and have realized a lot of things about myself during my time in Sydney. While I have made many good friends during this program, I have also come to realize that I am perfectly happy being by myself in most situations. Whether it be exploring the city, going to the beach, doing work, or traveling, there is a special quality that being alone can bring to every experience. I have met a lot of new people while on my own and have found new things I like. This has also made me much more comfortable for the future and potentially moving to a new city after college.