Stay in Your Abroad City for a Weekend

By Annie Condodina

Studying abroad is one of the most talked-about ways that college students can explore different cultures and step outside their comfort zones. After spending the fall semester of my junior year in Rome, I can certainly attest to how much those four months challenged me and taught me. I was also grateful for the opportunity to easily travel to other European cities nearly every weekend. But the best-kept secret about studying abroad is actually how fun it is to hang out in your own city for the weekend.

During the weekdays, there isn’t a ton of time to go exploring, especially if you are in a big city. You might miss out on the best times to visit museums or go sightseeing because of your daytime classes or internship. Going out at night on the weekdays is a fun way to get to know the city, but you’ll have a totally different experience in the same part of town if you get lunch at noon on a Saturday. It’s also fun to just go for a walk around your city on a weekend afternoon. These daytime adventures provide awesome opportunities to really feel like you know your city.

If going out is really your thing, you might also be missing out on some of the best clubs in your city because many won’t open until the weekend, right when you’re out of town. In Rome, certain clubs and bars catered to American students and were open every weekday. But our best nights out were at local spots on weekends -- places that turned out to be within walking distance of our apartments.

Traveling on the weekends can also be exhausting. You spend only 2 or 3 days (maximum) in a city, so you’re always on the go with little downtime. Spending a weekend in your home city lets you sleep in and not feel like you’re missing out on something. Weekends can be a time to relax and recharge with your friends over Netflix, and that doesn’t have to disappear just because you’re in a new place. By the middle of the semester, you’ll want a day to chill out.

Of course, traveling is a cornerstone of going abroad, but consider staying in your own city for a weekend (or four, like I did) to really feel at home there. You won’t regret it, especially when someone asks you for travel recommendations for your home city and you actually have them.