To FYSAE or Not to FYSAE
Delicious food for all dietary restrictions, vibrant musicals on the West End, commutes on the Tube listening to your favorite song, and cafés with your friends every day after class– London is better than I could’ve ever imagined. It’s almost unfathomable to think that just three months ago, I was ready to ditch FYSAE and take my name off the list. I’ve been in the UK for a month now, and I am already mourning the move back to America in April. For all first-years who have anxiety, overthink, and are afraid of the unknowns of the future: you can have a life-changing spring semester in London just like I am.
I went to boarding school for high school. When I was picking a college, I was worried that no small school would be different enough from my high school to give me a real change of scenery and let me experience the “transition to college” that all high school seniors talk about. That’s why I figured that Arcadia, who could offer me a chance to study abroad in my first year, would give me the totally brand-new experience that I was looking for. I deposited for FYSAE a month and a half after I graduated high school and spent the whole summer so excited to prepare for my spring semester abroad.
When I arrived in Glenside in the fall, I suddenly realized I had made what I thought was a grave mistake. Simply put, Arcadia was better than I thought! I made more friends off the bat than I thought I would and connected with the community in significant ways. All of a sudden, I had so much to lose by abandoning Glenside for London so soon.
Through September and October, a hundred worries coursed through my mind constantly. I secured a spot on the audition-only Chamber Choir that would be replaced with another alto if I left. I was hired by the Landman Library and fell in love with my job there– another position that would have to be filled in my absence. I found the best friend group of five girls. What if they found another friend they liked better than me? I wanted to graduate early AND I was undecided on my major, would FYSAE be setting me back in both aspects? I had worked so hard to build a place for myself on Arcadia’s campus, and I was terrified that it would all be gone by the time I came back from FYSAE. I was convinced I needed more time there to cement that reputation before I left. My choir director, boss, and friends would all forget about me– I’d be jobless, friendless, and have nothing.
Fortunately, my brain proved to be my own worst enemy in this situation (and most others). I am a talented and responsible member of the Chamber Choir, I’m sure that my director will replace a graduating senior with me in the fall. I built a good reputation at work; my boss appreciates my dedication and will remember who I am when I come back from London. I text my friends in Glenside almost every day, updating them about my adventures in the UK! We’re planning our fall housing together now– that’s right, they did not decide they hate me and want to replace me with another roommate. My FYSAE Student Mentor reassured me of all of this. She also helped me see that I could certainly still graduate early if I wanted to and that I have plenty of exploration time to decide my major. The moral of the story is, there’s nothing to sweat! Arcadia is BUILT around studying abroad, you are not “missing anything” by leaving for a semester.
If you’re a good person, kind to those around you, passionate about your extracurriculars, and a hard worker, that will not be lost over a quick four-month European excursion. The answer is, GO TO LONDON. Hey, you won’t be able to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world for this cheap ever again; you’re paying for college anyway! College is meant for trying new things, falling in love with new places, and taking advantage of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. What was once a cripplingly complicated decision for me is now, in hindsight, a no-brainer. I might even go back next year!
