Sitting Seine Side

When I decided to go abroad, I knew that it was going to be a huge learning experience. Living in a foreign country on my own for an extended period of time would allow not only my knowledge of the French culture to grow, but also allow for me, as a person, to grow. Abroad is notorious for bringing out the independence in everyone. Abroad does not bring out only independence, however. Other important life lessons that students learn are - just how far your personal limits are (comfort zone), humility, that is it okay to feel down sometimes (regarding homesickness, etc.) and how to pick yourself back up, but also how to thrive. Yes, a foreign country can teach you all of these things, but what about the people you meet along the way? As I got to know my friend better, of course I got to learn more about him, but I also learned more about myself. His realistic approach on life taught me just how intense my "dreamer" side is. I always knew that I concoct up some wild ideas ...

My friend's schedule is very similar to my own. Being a co-op student comes with a certain prejudice. Professors automatically assume that you are here to travel and explore the world (true) and put your academics on the back burner for the semester (true, depending who you ask). However, before I get into specific daily schedules, it is important to understand the dynamic of the university I am studying at for the duration of the semester. There are four distinct categories at the university I am currently spending my time at. One being comprised of the students who are devoted to four full years here and intend to graduate from said university. It is also important to note that this is the smallest sector. Then you have the study abroad students, who, like I previously mentioned, are here to stay on track to get their Bachelor's Degree on time but also to travel. Followed by them you have American students who are (for the most part) freshmen and got rejected from their fir...