It was about 8 p.m. last Wednesday night when I came to a shocking realization: It had been approximately three days since I had done or seen anything new and exciting. Had I been at Boston College, it is unlikely that this thought would even have crossed my mind.
But studying abroad lends a new sense of urgency to attain life experience and accomplish goals. The way I see it, I have less than six months to do and experience everything London, and a fair amount of surrounding Europe, has to offer.
A totally impossible aspiration? Potentially. But sitting on my bed watching Grey's Anatomy online while my guidebooks gather dust seems unacceptable.
I found myself in an unusual state of alarm, which prompted me to start thinking about how I use my time at BC. Do I spend a substantial amount of time going to class, writing papers, reading, etc.? Yes. (Potentially not as much as I should, but a large amount, nonetheless.)
Do I devote a large portion of my week to extracurricular meetings and events? Almost always. Do I spend hours and hours sitting at late-night or watching television?
Definitely.
It would seem that leading a full life in college comes at the cost of the free time, of which there never seems to be enough.
"I'd love to go [insert stimulating activity here], but I have a paper due next week."
"I've really been meaning to go to [an exhibit I've wanted to check out for months] but I'm always so busy."
I can always find an excuse to justify opportunities missed through my own procrastination or lack of planning, but even so, I cannot honestly say that I frequently find myself regretting this situation.
Possibly, the experiences I have missed or chosen not to pursue in Boston are partially a function of the amount of time I believe I have.
When students are allotted six months to see and do everything in one of the major cities of the world, the time constraints apply most of the pressure necessary to ensure they spend their time wisely. But four years to a college student is a veritable eternity, and if you don't manage to get to the Museum of Fine Arts or the Old North Church this week, they will certainly still be there next month. Or semester. Or year.
This is not to say that by remaining within the confines of campus one is leading a life devoid of culture or new experiences.
It would be completely impossible to attend the amount of performances, cultural activities, exhibits, and speakers that interest me on campus. Even trying to attend a percentage of these events can lead to a packed calendar.
The more aware I am of how little time I have to experience a place, the more committed I am to accomplishing the task.
Despite not having seen or done all the things I should have in Boston after spending two and a half school years and a summer there, I have still devoted more effort to familiarizing myself with the city than I have in Chicago, where I have lived since birth.
In fact, it was only when I started spending the majority of the year in another place, and viewing time at home as "vacation," that I began to take better advantage of the city's many cultural opportunities.
In truth, my experience abroad, though just a few weeks old, has made me reflect on how I use my time in Boston more than before by simply reviewing how many attractions I have yet to check off in my Fodor's guide.
And perhaps returning senior year to find the clock actually ticking will prompt me to take the initiative to soak up more of my surroundings.
Ultimately, it seems that the pursuit of new experiences isn't about our tenure in a place or the scarcity of free time in our hectic lives, but about our commitment to the opportunities around us - in whatever environment we may find ourselves.
Kathryn Dill is a Heights staff columnist studying abroad at the University College London. She welcomes comments at dillk@bcheights.com.
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