Semester after semester, we pack up our most prized possessions — which for me ranges from practically every article of clothing I have ever owned to my complete Boy Meets World DVD collection — and we head to school. Nearly every semester, my car is more stuffed than a carnival-lover with a hearty appetite for fried food. Last spring was the only exception.

Exactly one year ago, I weeded through the things I cared about most and nearly performed spells of Harry Potter magnitudes to fit everything into my allotted two suitcases. I then headed across the Atlantic Ocean for the unknown world of Madrid, Spain.

Upon arriving, I was overwhelmed with a myriad of emotions because I was terrified and excited at the same time. I was in a foreign country and feeling as though my previous semesters of Spanish would be proved inadequate in the months ahead.

Despite my initial fears, Madrid did not eat me up like a plate of cured ham, jamón serrano, a popular appetizer in Spain. I quickly became enamored with nearly every facet of the city, which is known more for its late nights and fruity wine than its economic achievements. While I became accustomed to spending my afternoons at one of the largest parks in Europe and wandering around museums, I often used the weekends to explore the rest of the continent.

With each stamp added to my passport I gained a little more freedom and confidence. I didn’t have anyone or anything holding me back except for my depreciating bank account. Throughout the course of the semester, I saw more historical landmarks and made more friends than I thought possible.

I also encountered my fair share of frightening moments, mostly because I decided to travel to countries where my Spanish skills quickly became obsolete. But I am not one to give up, especially when it involves a music festival in Portugal, so I persevered. Now the idea of traveling to a place where I don’t speak the language doesn’t intimidate me in the slightest.

Studying abroad is quite possibly one of the greatest opportunities presented to us as college students. For very little additional cost, we are given the option to make a home in a place that we have only seen depicted in movies. Moreover, studying abroad gives us the chance to grow as individuals, shed our timid and homebody exterior and become the adventurous and curious people that we once were. It also presents the opportunity to learn firsthand about the world that we may have been sleeping through in tenth-grade world history.

So break out of the comfort zone that is N.C. State and consider applying for a program in the place that fascinates you the most. That initial plane ride to your destination might be one of the most horrifying moments of your life, but I promise that when you fly back, you will have stories that last a lifetime about your adventures — good and bad — abroad.