Never Forget Your Study Abroad Experience!

I think it’s relatively safe to assume that going abroad can be one of the best experiences of your life. Traveling, meeting new people, and visiting countless museums and attractions all sound amazing, but what happens if you forget those little memories that made every experience or trip so timeless? Don’t you worry! We’ve put together some handy tips to help you remember all those tiny details that made each trip unique and unforgettable.

The best way to savor those memories, like a good piece of chocolate, is by keeping track of it all in a journal. Now, before we scare you away with the daunting idea of keeping a journal, let me remind you that it is much easier and less time consuming than most students may think! It doesn’t have to be an elaborate travel biography that you would find rounding out a New York Times bestsellers list, but more of a keepsake where you include special moments, quotes, or your day’s events that may be forgotten when reminiscing a few years later. Most often, you can find smaller journals that are more travel-friendly and still leave you with plenty of space to write. So, grab that favorite black ballpoint of yours and begin the journey to journal heaven!

If you’re not much of the journal-writing type why not spoil yourself and purchase small souvenirs at each destination? These little mementos can be as simple as postcards that capture the essence of a city with a beautiful picture of the landscape or a famous attraction. The benefit of buying these small souvenirs is that they are relatively inexpensive, easy to bring home, but still provide for a great way to remember the little characteristics of each city! Frame them when you get home and decorate a room with authentic postcards from your worldly travels.

Another way to awake yourself from a nostalgic daydream and plunge back into being abroad is by taking a look at the maps of cities you visited. When traveling, you often accumulate more maps than one can even dream of having! But what use do they have once you return home? The answer is simple; use those maps as another way to remember the best parts of the cities you visited! Take a pen and mark the spot where you had an amazing authentic dinner in Hong Kong or Milan – even better, write down exactly what you ate! You can also jot down small notes over the symbols of famous attractions you visited or where you discovered that special store where you bought your mom a gift. The opportunities are endless!

And as always, fill your digital camera’s memory card with tons of photos – especially those of you hiking along the Great Wall of China or effortlessly supporting the leaning tower of Pisa with your pinky finger.

Upon returning as a travel expert, you will undoubtedly get asked to recount all of the insider tips and memories from your experience to your friends. Rather than sending endless of e-mails, leave a review on Abroad101 and tell your story to help future students, while enabling you to remember every last detail!

Now go explore the world and successfully remember every single detail!

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