I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad during my time at St. Olaf College. I participated in the first Global Semester program that took place after the Covid pandemic. This journey took us to several countries, immersing us in diverse cultures and experiences that reshaped our perspectives and broadened our horizons.
Amid the constant companionship, exploration, and shared adventures that characterized the semester, one experience stood out: the unexpected isolation from contracting Covid and the introspection it forced upon me. Despite my initial anxieties of being an hour from anyone I knew, in an area I didn’t know, with a language I didn’t speak, that period of isolation provided me with valuable time for reflection and recharging before our final days together. During my time alone, I immersed myself in music, learned new TikTok dances, actually planned for the small group travel we “planned” before leaving St. Olaf, observed the world from my one small window, and reminisced over the photos and videos captured during our semester abroad.
As an extrovert, I made a point to call friends and family daily, catching up with those I had not been able to connect with regularly due to the time difference and busy schedules. Yet even with these daily calls, I spent long hours in solitude. However, this solitude prepared me for the inevitable goodbyes, something I hadn’t always been the best at.
“The Global Semester rekindled my childlike wonder and joy in learning new things, meeting new people, and growing alongside them. It instilled in me a sense of adaptability and enthusiasm that continues to thrive.”
Freya Gordon ’24
Isolation illuminated the profound importance of the bonds I formed during the program. Initially, I trusted people out of necessity, but this trust blossomed into relationships that will last a lifetime. The experience taught me the value of supportive and unfading connections, something I have carried with me since returning home. Additionally, the solitude reminded me of the joy I find in my own company: dancing around the apartment with kitchen utensils as microphones, slippery socks for feet, and reflecting on my friends who were now as close as family.
The Global Semester rekindled my childlike wonder and joy in learning new things, meeting new people, and growing alongside them. It instilled in me a sense of adaptability and enthusiasm that continues to thrive. Most importantly, it taught me that even when I am “on my own,” my friends are always right there with me, their presence felt in every step of my journey.