By Annabel Savage (Stony Brook University, The State University of New York, USA)

I originally wrote this blog the day I landed home from New York, but in the hustle and bustle of Christmas I’ve only just found/posted it!

I’ve just landed home from the seven hour flight that marks the end of my time studying abroad in New York. The last four months of my life have flown by, and sitting here reflecting on them it almost feels like a dream.

There were ups and downs and definitely moments when being in Manchester would have been much easier, but the memories I have come away with are some of the best of my life. Here are the things I wish I could go back and tell myself at the start of the journey.

1. The time will fly by. The prospect of being away from Manchester for four months seemed pretty daunting at first, but that time flies when you’re having fun, and that really was the case for me.
2. Don’t wish the time away. Pretty similar to above really, but there was one point about a month in where I wished that time would just move a little faster and I could get home and back to the ‘real world’. By the end I was willing the clock to move a little slower
3. Be in the moment. There was no use worrying about missing out on Manchester life at the start, I quickly accepted that I was having a huge adventure and it would all be back to normal soon but that being in the moment/country you’re in is the most important thing.
4. Always say yes. I think I did this anyway, but being abroad gave me so many opportunities to travel and experience things out of my comfort zone. It was great to be able to have the independence and live somewhere completely different.
5. Take lots of pictures Being able to reflect on everything I did and remember the amazing times I had is something I will treasure, the pictures are a way of me sharing with everyone back home the amazing things I did.

I could go on, but now I’m going to get back into London life and enjoy being at home and my comfy bed! The move back to Manchester in January is the next big event in my calendar, which is strange after having travel plans almost every weekend for the last four months, but I’m definitely looking forward to the break!