World renowned psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross once said, “I have learned there is no joy without hardship. There is no pleasure without pain. Would we know the comfort of peace without the distress of war?” It's a poignant reminder that humans need pain to truly appreciate joy and to find value in life's challenges.
Like many others embarking on a study abroad journey, I intentionally lightened my course load, craving relaxation. Yet, compared to the brutal semester I'd faced not long before, I found myself under-stimulated. The absence of a routine seemed to steal away the potential for joy.
Thankfully, establishing healthy habits presents its own set of challenges. Through this process, I've come to understand that discipline amplifies the sweetness of life by accentuating the contrast with our everyday routines.
Thankfully, establishing healthy habits presents its own set of challenges. Through this process, I've come to understand that discipline amplifies the sweetness of life by accentuating the contrast with our everyday routines.
In my own journey, I didn't fully commit to consistent routines until halfway through my time abroad. As I spent more time alone, I grew increasingly motivated to adhere to my habits, goals, and routines. Back at home, I had habits like waking up and going to bed at the same time, going to the gym daily, following an 80/20 rule for diet, following a skincare routine, and calling my parents daily. In Barcelona, I downloaded an app called Habit Tracker, which allowed me to monitor up to 5 habits for free, rewarding each completion with a pleasant ding, enabling me to look back at the amount of days I completed. Living in Barcelona taught me to adapt to my present circumstances. For example, instead of going to the gym like I had at my home university, I went on runs instead.If given the chance to rewind my study abroad experience, I would jumpstart these habits during my second week in Barcelona, once my schedule had settled. As advice for future students, I'd suggest:
1) Acquiring a gym membership: DIR, Altafit, Holmes Place, Snap Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Fitpack, and UrbanGorillas are just a few of the many options you'll find in Barcelona.
2) Joining a running or fitness club: Barcelona Casual Runners, PB Running Club & Group Training, and Yepalo Sunrise Runners Club are just a few that I found. You can also check meetup.com.
3) Setting a goal and starting a new habit to foster personal growth: For example, try to spend a minimum of an hour a day speaking in Spanish by taking a Spanish class, talking to locals, or going to cultural events. Whatever your goals might be, they don't need to come to a full stop while you're studying or interning abroad!
For any future students going abroad, I encourage you to establish a routine during your time in Barcelona, as I saw a positive change in the overall outlook of my study abroad experience once I became consistent with these habits.
For any future students going abroad, I encourage you to establish a routine during your time in Barcelona, as I saw a positive change in the overall outlook of my study abroad experience once I became consistent with these habits.
