Balancing senior year stress

This fall will be my senior year at CU Boulder and I could not be more excited, or more terrified. I’m ecstatic to be done with school forever. But forever is a long time, and a lot can change. Who knows if I will even land a job after the long walk across the stage? T

Right now though, I’m excited. I’ve pushed graduation to the back of my mind and I’m focusing on to be starting my final year abroad in Europe. Leaving in August to study in France, most of my time has been spent preparing for the big Euro trip. Most of it though is more stressful and tedious than it’s worth.

First, France has agreements with Colorado that I have to get my long stay Visa in Los Angeles. I am not permitted to mail order it. I have to fly there. But before flying out I have to have two passport sized pictures taken, see a doctor, mail a 100 dollar money order, copy my license and passport and print my acceptance. There’s more, but I won’t bore you.

If anyone is ever thinking about studying or living abroad, just know all of the madness that comes with having to get a Visa to live their for over a sixth month period. I have one friend who went to China and was able to do all of her Visa paper work through mail. I wish that was the case for me, but of course nothing can be simple in my life.

So even though I will be in LA at 11:15 a.m. on July 1 to get my Visa, that means I am one step closer to moving to France for a semester and beginning to achieve my goal of being a world traveller. For now, I am still a college student and I am not ready to give that up. When I come home I will prepare to face real adult problems but for now I am going to have fun in France.