Hello! My name is Chris Gear, and I am currently a sophomore at UW-Madison. I am a pre-business student, with aspirations to major in Finance through the Wisconsin School of Business. Aside from being committed to performing well in school, I stay active through working out, playing and watching sports, spending time with friends, and investing. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a Badger Blogger during my time abroad because of the ability to share my experiences with those considering studying abroad, and to reflect on my time abroad while in Dublin, Ireland.
The last couple months of last semester, I scrolled up and down through numerous ‘Must-Do’s’, ‘Tips and Tricks’, and other various lists detailing all that traveling has to offer, and one thing never ceased to cross my mind: “I’m going halfway across the world for spring semester! Should I live off-campus or on-campus? What do I bring with me? Have I forgotten any pre-departure tasks that are necessary to study abroad?” All the while, the excitement of seeing the world and the desire to get out of my comfort zone clouded my mind.
In addition to getting out of my comfort zone, I hope to get out of Ireland, as well. While I’m excited to attend the University College of Dublin, easy travel to mainland Europe will no doubt be one of the best parts of the study abroad experience. Recognizing other cultures, and adopting some of their customs is something that I hope to bring back with me to affect those around me in a positive way.
As one of my favorite movie characters in the hit series Game of Thrones puts forth, “Most people live and die in the same corner of the world without getting to see any of it.” I’m hoping for those who don’t have the opportunity to experience going abroad themselves, I can bring back a slice of Europe for them. These last couple months have been a doozy for preparing for my time abroad. I hope to keep in mind that my time abroad is rather short, and to make the most of it!
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