After studying for up to four months at universities all around the world, students who were abroad for the fall semester have returned to Elon, and feelings about being back vary.
Kenton Porter couldn't be happier to be back. Porter, a senior who studied abroad in Beijing this fall, had mixed feelings about his overall experience. He felt he learned more about Chinese culture and Chinese people and doesn't regret studying in the country, but by the end of the semester, he was more than ready to go home.
Coping with the immense cultural differences and the stresses of living in a city as big as Beijing became frustrating and made Porter miss his life back in America. Since being back, he's enjoyed spending time with his friends and plans on soaking up every moment he has left on this campus until he graduates this May.
While Porter said he wants to use the knowledge he gained while abroad to pursue government jobs involving the Chinese, he said business trips would be the only reason he'd ever return to China.
Readjusting to life in the States wasn't nearly as difficult as trying to adjust to life in Beijing.
"The only difficult part was jet-lag, which I feel that I still am trying to get over," he said.
Junior Allison Schmidt feels differently. Schmidt, an international student who is a resident of Switzerland, has had a particularly difficult time adjusting to life back at Elon after spending last semester in Barcelona, Spain.
While some students struggle with homesickness while abroad, studying in Barcelona brought Schmidt closer to her family and gave her the option of going home for the weekend: a luxury that she has never experienced. As a result, returning to Elon has made her more homesick than ever, but after being back for a few weeks, she's beginning to readjust. Though she admits she misses Barcelona every day, Schmidt said as an international student, she's used to frequently moving and feels that it helps her adapt and cope with change better than most.
Starting a routine and getting involved with on- campus activities again made it easier to reintegrate into the Elon community. As a member of the women's club rugby team, reuniting with her teammates helped her "get back into the Elon spirit." She also feels that being welcomed back by the friends she's made at Elon during the years made all the difference and "really made Elon feel like home again," she said.
Schmidt is finding ways to enjoy life back at Elon, but her experiences in Barcelona have shaped her plans for the future. While she said she doesn't regret coming to the U.S. since she'd never lived here and knew she "always wanted to experience a true American college," the positive experience she had in Spain solidified her decision to return to Europe after graduation. She's considering going back to Barcelona specifically to complete a master's program.