As I reached the halfway point of my time here in Ariccia, I started to realize how much I have been growing as an individual. Reflecting on the experiences that I have had so far, the thing that stands out to me the most is how I have learned to become more okay with situations that are out of my control. I am someone who likes to have everything planned out. I even have “plans” for general ideas of what I want my life to look like in the coming years, so it is safe to say that I take comfort in having a consistent routine and knowing what to prepare for and get excited for.

Coming into this experience, we were told to not plan all of our weekend trips before arriving in Italy, so that we could go on trips with new people that we meet through the program. This was very good advice, but definitely led to me feeling the stress of trying to book what felt like a million trips a mere few days in advance in some cases. I am aware of how lucky I am to call planning once in a lifetime trips “stressful”, but what I mean to highlight is how all of a sudden I did not have a concrete plan for the next few weeks or even the next few days.

This was so out of my comfort zone, but as the weeks progressed, I started to see the benefits of being more spontaneous and not having every second of my days planned. There is something so beautiful about being more present and in the moment, rather than having my mind jump ahead to what is next on the schedule. I also realized that learning to be more adaptable and go with the flow is an important skill to have before entering the workforce. I’ve learned how valuable it is to be pushed outside of your comfort zone, and I wouldn’t have been able to have this realization if it wasn’t for this program. I now have so much more appreciation for the little things and the experiences that come up unexpectedly.

I know that in the future and throughout my career, there will be days where things come up at the last minute that all of a sudden need my full attention, or that I may have to rearrange my schedule to accommodate those that I will be working with. By learning to plan in short amounts of time and being okay with sometimes not knowing exactly what my days would hold, I feel much more confident for working in a fast paced and ever-changing environment. I am thankful to have had this realization while still in college, and am so grateful for all that this program has taught me about myself and those around me. There are some things that we cannot control, and it is important to learn to trust the people around you. Staying with a group of new people in new surroundings has shown me how imperative this is, and I am lucky to have had this experience alongside them!

– Milly Montgomery

An unforgettable trip to Rome that came from last minute planning!