Wow. No way this semester is over already. It absolutely flew by. I blinked, and boom it’s done. This experience has forced me to grow in many ways. It has made me significantly more comfortable being uncomfortable. Living in a house with eight guys and one shower taught me more about patience, coordination, and humor than I expected going in. I also learned how to manage my finances more intentionally while still enjoying everything the experience had to offer, finding that balance between being responsible and still saying yes to opportunities that make the experience memorable.
Academically and personally, I grew a lot in adaptability and independence. Traveling across different cities pushed me to stay patient when things inevitably went wrong, like when my flight home from Prague got canceled. Thanks a lot, RyanAir. Instead of stressing, I learned to problem-solve in real time and adjust quickly. In this case, I just bought the next flight home and utilized the travel insurance I had to get refunded. I also became more confident using Italian in everyday situations, whether asking for directions when I was completely lost or ordering something in a restaurant. Those small moments built a lot of confidence in my ability to operate in unfamiliar environments.
Professionally, I developed soft skills that I know will carry over directly into a business setting. Communication, accountability, and adaptability stood out the most. Living with others meant learning how to address issues directly and admit my own mistakes. One time, I led a group of us down the wrong road and added 20 extra minutes to our walk. I also learned how to take calculated spontaneous risks, like hopping on a train to Bologna for a concert, which reinforced quick decision-making and comfort with ambiguity.
The biggest takeaway I will bring back to Pitt Business and into my future career is adaptability. In a corporate environment, things will constantly change, like clients shifting expectations, deals falling through, and schedules moving at the last minute. My study abroad experience has taught me how to stay calm, pivot quickly, and still get results. Whether it’s working in investment banking, wealth management, or any client-facing role, I feel much more prepared to handle uncertainty, communicate clearly under pressure, and maintain a sense of humor when things don’t go exactly as planned. I also wanted to mention the monster spreadsheet I made, tracking everything I did daily and how much I spent. This was a small personal project that was a lot of fun to create. Thanks, bye!
