The Tale of an Adventure-Seeking Workaholic Down Under

Everyone who knows me knows I’m addicted to being a student. I easily fill my time with homework, reading, and projects… whether or not they’re for a class… So it’s no surprise I’ve managed to do the same thing while studying abroad. 

The “typical” American study abroad student spends minimal time doing classwork. Many of my peers in my study abroad program have traveled to new cities or countries every weekend. The idea of this was daunting to me when I first considered studying abroad… until I realized I didn’t have to be typical. 

Although I’ve done and have plans for my fair share of traveling, I focused my study abroad experience on my research project at the Australian Museum and my upper-level ecology class. As a college senior planning to continue my education, I have also been working towards applying to graduate school. 

While my experience is quite different from that of my peers, for me, it has been more meaningful. 

I work with a leader in the amphibian ecology field. I wrote a blog for the Australian Museum. I planned ecological projects with Australian peers. I managed communicating with potential graduate advisors across time zones. In doing all this, I have been working towards my personal and career goals.

Being abroad enabled me to pursue my career goals in different ways than available to me at my home institution in the US. It has also forced me to maintain a better balance between my workaholic and adventure-seeking selves. The urge to explore has pushed me to be efficient and to prioritize what’s most important to me. This mix of tangible outcomes as well as eye-opening experiences has made my time abroad especially meaningful for me. 

I’ll miss my Australian peers and the Australian Museum research team, but in just two short weeks I plan to set off for Tasmania. After my workaholic self takes my ecology exam, concludes my research project, and submits my graduate school applications, I’ll reward my adventure-seeking self with a solo backpacking trip on the world-renowned Overland Track. 

Stay tuned for a photo just like the one above, but taken by me!