My Brisbane Blog: Choices

Decisions Decisions

I made a lot of choices in the process of studying abroad. First, I narrowed down my options and chose to study in Australia, specifically at UQ in Brisbane. After being accepted, I chose to live with 2 girls from USC. I met Marybeth and Haley through our study abroad orientation, and after finding out we had mutual friends and similar ideas about where to live, we found a share house and decided to be roommates. Sort of a snap decision, but definitely the best decision I could've made. Hopefully they'll agree :)

Glad we aren't sick of each other yet :)

Some of the other choices I made in coming to Australia included:

what kind of travels I would do on the way to Australia, during my semester, and on the way back (tough to figure out sometimes, but so worth it)
getting a job (more on this later)
and, of course, because I'm studying abroad, what classes to take at UQ (also pretty happy about this one)

Every day, we make choices. We all know this. Some of them are small, seemingly insignificant, like "What should I eat for breakfast?" Easy decision. Nutella toast.
"Where should I go with my friends tonight?" It may take a few minutes to decide, but it doesn't really make a big difference.

For example, I took some time to decide on which classes to take at UQ, but it didn't make a huge difference in the end. I prioritized the time and schedule of the classes first, and then tried to choose some subjects that were interesting to me. The best part of this decision-making process is that I'd saved some of my core classes and electives from freshman year to take abroad! Try to DO THIS if you're going abroad, too. Also, I ended up taking 5 classes instead of 4, which I wasn't super excited about at first, but it'll really lighten my load senior year.

But... some decisions are much more complicated. "How should I spend my money?" "What am I going to do this summer when I'm only home for 4 weeks?" "Where should I live next year?"

These choices take more time to decide and involve a lot more factors like money, lifestyle, and other people. They can sometimes put pressure and stress on us. However, it's a good thing we can also choose family and friends who will support us, talk through decisions with us, and be there on the other side of whatever choice we end up making.

Coming to study in Australia was a pretty big decision. Even after I decided to come here, it took a LOT of time getting everything organized and feeling prepared to make such a big move. Now that I've lived here for 3 months, that study abroad application I sent in a year ago doesn't seem like that big of a deal. It was just another step for the journey of exploring a new country.

Job-Hunting

Before I flew across the ocean, I applied to some part-time jobs in Brisbane. I used seek.com and UQ's job website to find possibilities. I sent tons of emails to various coffee shops and daycare centers that looked suitable, and I waited for responses. I hadn't gotten any offers by the time I showed up in Brisbane. Most places had either hired new staff over their summer months or didn't want to hire me because of my short-term stay here. Eventually, I came across the placement options that UQ has and got in touch with the placements office, and they gave me a list of contacts they had at agencies that have previously had student interns. I applied to 3 of those places as well, but after coming to Brisbane and making it to the 3rd week of the semester, I was still out of luck.

Then I got a call from BBS Communications. I was very excited to hear from this PR agency, especially since I was having trouble finding somewhere else to work. I'd heard good things about them, and everything I researched about them seemed great. Two weeks later, I started my internship at BBS. I knew it'd be awesome opportunity, despite the fact it was unpaid, and I decided to accept the position and get some valuable work experience in Australia.

I've really enjoyed it so far, and I have one week left! I go every Thursday for the whole day, and it's such a neat experience to walk around the city with all the professionals heading to and from work. The people at the BBS office are so hospitable, helpful and fun. They have so much knowledge and passion for what they do. I hope to visit them when I make a trip back to Australia some day :)
So, after some trying and waiting, and weighing of pros and cons, I definitely made a good choice.

So even though being busy in Australia is not at all the same level of being busy at USC, there are some weeks that are tiring. In the midst of a busy week, sometimes the best choice of what to do for a few hours is simply to lay in bed and write. Nap at the beach. Watch a movie with my roommates. Text my friends at home or call my family. That's the best kind of laziness, and I'll absolutely consider that living to the fullest. I just can't do it too often or I'll miss out on what's happening outside my door.

Life is Short

We can do so much with our time (or we can do a whole lot of nothing). Life is short. I shouldn't need a reminder to make the most of every day (although sometimes life does give me a nice slap in the face reminding me that I only have so many hours in a day.) Ultimately, we just need to stop thinking about it so much and get out there and live, right? Easier said than done.

Throughout my time here, I've noticed that I've had to forego a lot of little extra luxuries. Things that you really don't need but sometimes just want, like a manicure, your favorite alcohol, or fresh bagels rather than an 85 cent loaf of white bread. I notice small things I'd love to have from home like a favorite blanket, a big comfy couch, and a kitchen where all the appliances actually work. These things are just a little more noticeable than at USC because Australia is more expensive in general. Decisions regarding time and money are a little easier in Columbia, a place that's my home for 4 years, not just 4 months.

Ultimately though, these little things don't make a big difference in my day. They're just nice to have. There are other things I need to do with my time and money that I wouldn't even get a chance to do at home, like fly to Sydney for a weekend or scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. The opportunity to be in Australia for a whole semester, to travel, and to meet new people is infinitely greater than getting a pedicure or having a nice blender in the kitchen. :)

The People You Choose

One of the best choices I can make every day is to talk to people. Get to know them, ask them questions, see what I can learn from them. You just never know. I met some girls at the koala sanctuary the other day who are on an Environmental Journalism trip from UT Austin, and one of the girl's uncles helped build the Arch in STL! How cool is that?

The people I've chosen to spend time with in Australia have completely made my experience here, just like the friends I made in high school, my friends from camp, and my best friends from USC, have made my life spectacular and have shaped who I am.

I chose to study abroad during this 2nd semester of my junior year and so did 5 of my closest girl friends. Three are in Australia and two are in South America. The rest of our group of friends is back in South Carolina, and although all of our experiences are different this semester, I'm so glad we actively choose to keep in touch. I'm lucky to know I have all of them to go back to.

Just in case you haven't seen enough cheesy quotes in awhile, here's one from one of my favorite authors, Sarah Dessen.

I love the people I've chosen to spend time with, to keep in touch with, and to have as a support system. I could not be more grateful for my friends and family back home, and I am truly fortunate to have found people in Brisbane who are also wonderful and who have become a new family to me.

I'm proud of the choices I've made throughout college to get me to this point, and I'm also pretty content with the choices I've made about how to spend my time this semester. Of course, not every choice is the right one and not every result is perfect, but I guess that's part of learning.