Still Some Time Left

Alright, in my last post I talked about having a plan. Assuming you got all your paperwork turned in, and on time, what you have to do next is perhaps obvious. All you have to do now is wait. Sounds simple enough, huh? Well, you're wrong!

Waiting is perhaps the hardest thing you'll have to do. This is mainly because after you do all that running around trying to get your paperwork turned in and what not, you begin to realize how big a deal this really is. Questions such as, "Did I fill out that part correctly?" or, "Did I forget to fill that part out?" will pop into your head and gnaw at it like rabbit on a carrot. You'll also begin to wonder about a lot of "what if" scenarios.

"What if they don't accept me and I already told everyone?"
"What if I wait till the last minute to do anything and then I can't get anything done before I go?"
"What if I get accepted and then something happens and I can't go after getting everything done?"
"What if I can't get my airplane ticket on time?"
"What if I forget/forgot something important?"
"What if my financing/scholarships get pulled before/after I'm there?"
"What if..."

These are just the tip of the iceberg people. Believe me when I say that just when you think you answered (read "Buried in the crevices of the back of your mind") more and more will come up. And trust me, some of them will just be silly. Well, you'll realize they are silly after the fact, but when they hit you, they'll be the most serious thing you've thought of up to that point.

Now, for these questions and "what if's" there is no real or easy solution. Things will or will not happen, and you'll have to deal with these things when they do or do not happen. This is all of course IF they happen or do not happen at all... Confusing huh? My point is though, that while you are waiting, things will begin to settle in and your mind will begin to wonder.

Some people while waiting will have more doubts, questions, worries, or "what if's" than other people will. This is just the nature of the beast, so be prepared for it. My suggestion for this is perhaps obvious and somewhat simple. Are you ready for it? Here it is...

Keep yourself busy!

What it all boils down to in the end, is that there are just some things that do you no real good to worry about them. Sure, some worries are more valid than others, but that's just it. Don't just worry about it, do something while you have time to wait.

If you are concerned about finances, look up other income alternatives for before and after you are there.
If you worry about what will happen if you do or do not get accepted, then look at alternatives. Talk to people that have gone or have tried to go on a study abroad program.
If you are concerned about anything, just look it up! Talk to people (especially your program coordinator), look it up on the internet, read a book, but don't just linger on it.

If you worry and do nothing, it will just drag on and it will feel like an eternity. If you worry and keep yourself busy, it will not seem like an eternity and some of those worries will be answered or disappear all together.

Think of it as an odd combination of the saying that, "patience if a virtue" and the saying of, "idle hands are the devil's play thing."

You will have more time than you think while waiting for an answer from your study abroad program. Use it wisely!