I have one hour to write this column. You see, sometimes when you’re busy globetrotting, things fall through the cracks. Imagine my panic when my editor messaged asking for my article when I hadn’t even started it. Forgive me, Hannah.

It’s entirely unsurprising that I’ve forgotten a thing or two on my to-do list in the past week given my slew of no-break escapades. Today, I strolled around Central London, admiring gilded giants like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, standing stark against the bleak, gray sky. Sunday evening, I enjoyed a bottomless prosecco cruise along the Danube River in Budapest. Last Thursday, I devoured schnitzel and Sacher-Torte in Vienna. 

The past two weeks, I’ve been anywhere but Rome. When my Mom called me yesterday, she had to ask what country I was in since I’ve been moving throughout Europe so frequently. Though I love Rome and Italy, visiting new countries and immersing myself in new cultures has been such a dream. 

I didn’t travel much throughout my childhood. Between two parents who didn’t particularly enjoy traveling at the time, family vacations were often brief jaunts to different cities within my home state, Texas. Before coming abroad, I’d only been to three countries in my life: the United States, Canada and Italy. My trip to Italy in 2023 was to visit my friend who was studying abroad in Florence and it ultimately convinced me to study abroad myself. 

As someone who’s always wanted to travel the world, having such easy access to the rest of Europe has me feeling like a kid in a candy store. However, though it’s easy to book and romanticize weekend trips, actually taking them is an entirely different beast. Learning to balance my physical health and well-being, academic obligations and stress levels all while traveling internationally has been incredibly valuable, but draining. 

If you’re ever planning on studying abroad and know you want to travel the continent throughout your semester, remember that you too have a limit and you must be mindful to heed what your body tells you. Though I’ve had a blast in all four of the countries I’ve visited over the past seven days, I’ve certainly experienced some high highs and some low lows. 

It’s been tempting to try and visit every major thing a city has to offer over the very short one-to-two days I’ve had, but I’ve realized that mindset fosters burnout and exhaustion. Instead, I’ve started to focus on seeing only what I absolutely need to, and not restricting myself to the constraints of a precise itinerary. 

I always leave time for rest and relaxation throughout my day, following how I’m physically and mentally feeling, rather than forcing myself to do things I don’t feel up to. Travel is extremely hard on one’s body, and overextension often leads to illness and anxiety. Taking these moments of quiet time has been crucial in keeping me happy, healthy and ready to take on the world. 

Flexibility has been an essential trait to embrace while traveling, especially traveling on a budget with other USC 20-somethings. As anyone would suspect, plans will pan out unexpectedly, personalities will clash and bodies will give way to illness. Much of my past month has been spent unlearning the idealistic, type-A mindset I typically have and adopting a far more adaptable approach to life. 

The nature of my travels has also left no room for academic procrastination. It’s either do my assignments while I have the time in Rome or have to do them on a train from London to Edinburgh when I would prefer to be admiring the English countryside. Obviously, given that I’m writing this article on a Thursday night in London rather than an afternoon in Rome, I’m hyper-aware of how doing this earlier could have improved my travel experience. Lesson learned.

All this travel away from my home city has given me a far greater appreciation of Rome. Though I love seeing new cities and countries, I’m always beyond grateful to return home to Rome, walk along its familiar streets and eat home-cooked meals with my host family. You could say I’m perpetually Rome-sick. 

Aubrie Cole is a junior writing about her experiences abroad in Europe. Her column, “Notes from Abroad,” runs every other Friday.