Submitted by Elizabeth Mitchell the 2024 Spring program in Paris, France…
One of the things I have struggled the most with while being abroad is managing my time wisely. It is certainly a challenge trying to make sure I am getting all of my classwork and internship work done in a timely manner, while also giving myself time to explore the city and experience the culture. I am doing five classes and an internship while abroad which means most of my week Monday through Friday consists of going to classes and going to work. That means, I want to spend all of my weekends walking around and exploring the city. I have learned the importance of getting my work done efficiently in order to give myself the time to relax and explore. I make sure to be as productive as possible while I am at work to ensure that I do not have to do any extra work when I get home. I also make sure to be productive for at least an hour every night during the week to ensure I am staying on top of my school work. Doing these two things allows me to have full freedom to relax and explore on the weekends. While sometimes I do have to do work on the weekends I try to not because I want to allow myself time away from work while being abroad. I think that while being abroad, it is easy to forget you are here for work. You can get so caught up in the excitement of new friends, a new city, and places to travel that you do not take your school work seriously. While I do struggle to remember the importance of school work sometimes, I think that learning to manage my time more wisely has allowed me to enjoy the city while also getting good grades and being a good intern. (Submitted on February 22, 2024)