Although a lot of people have the misconception that being abroad is a stress-free, vacation-like time, this is not always the case. I cannot speak for others, but I wanted to talk about my own experience in Maastricht. If you've followed my previous blog posts, I have mentioned how Maastricht University is a tough school that requires a lot of work and time. I chose to come to Europe for my GO trip, having never been here before, because I wanted to be able to travel as much as possible. I try to travel on weekends as much as possible. Traveling can be very stressful though, because you need to book everything in advance. Plane tickets, housing, transportation to the airport, things to do, and what to pack are all things that need to be taken into account when traveling. On top of this, you need to make sure you stay on top of your school work and get your work done on time. This has been particularly stressful for me. It is overwhelming to plan trips as well as explore Maastricht and get my work done during the week. I think that having time management skills is essential when going abroad. I try to stick to a routine during the weekdays so that I do not waste any valuable time. I always plan out my days the night before. For example, now that my classes are later in the day, I go to the gym in the morning instead of at night. I also decide when I will go to the grocery store and when I will do my homework. I always try my best to plan my trips in advance so that I do not have to stress about them during the week. It is also important to look ahead in your schedule, and see what big assignments you may have coming up. This way, you can see if you should do something in advance if you know you are going to be traveling that week. Having a planner is super helpful for these types of things because you can lay out all of your plans in front of you. By taking these steps, you can minimize stress as much as possible so that you can enjoy your time abroad and make the most of your experience! I hope my time management tips were helpful!