Feelings.

Earlier in the week, I was texting one of my college friends about studying abroad. My university's classes started. Monday, so while all of my friends have returned to Norman, I'll be passing my time in a Parisian cafe until my classes start the following week.

I mentioned something in passing about how I was slightly jealous of his return to school. He was quick to remind me that Paris is much cooler than Oklahoma. Even then, it made me think about all of my feelings I have associated with this experience. Excitement. Fear. Nervousness.

The weeks leading up to my departure, people would always tell me "You're so brave." "You're fearless." "I could never do something like that." I always brushed off these compliments. I didn't want to think about the magnitude of what I was about to do. Sure, I moved halfway across the country for college. I've traveled to Europe, without my parents, twice. I'm a seasoned traveler and a smart girl. But it only recently started to sink in that I've never had to do any of this alone.

In the next five months, I'll be pushed out of my comfort zone. If my comfort zone is New York, I'll be in New Zealand. I'll make mistakes. I'll be embarrassed. I'll be nervous. I'll be scared. But you know what? I'm also going to have an unforgettable experience. I'm going to meet so many people, make friends who will change my life, travel to places I've always dreamed of visiting... and no amount of nerves will ever scare me away from the opportunity of a lifetime.