I have always been a very independent person. I’m an only child, and there are many things I love doing on my own. However, it’s much different when you’re abroad.
I didn’t go abroad knowing anyone. I hoped I would meet people naturally, but that didn’t work out how I expected. I tried to attend the orientation events hosted by my school, but there were not many offered. Most welcome events were hosted by an external network, but these took place at night, and since I was living alone in a new area, I was hesitant to attend. I met a few people who I connected with, but even then, our schedules didn’t always work out. I tried to join student organizations, but I still haven’t figured out if exchange students are allowed to join, or how.
I don’t mind going grocery shopping on my own, or even eating in my apartment, but, like most people abroad, I knew I wanted to travel. I decided to turn to day trips, which were much less intimidating. I was already used to Milan’s public transportation system, so all I had to do was get myself to our central station, then I could go anywhere.
My first solo day trip was to Lugano, Switzerland. I managed to get where I wanted, the top of Monte Bre, before my data failed me. Not realizing that my e-sim didn’t cover Switzerland, I was left without Maps or Translate. I spent three hours hiking down a mountain, and then another hour on a much flatter trail. I managed to find water and food, and the city center, and I made my way back to the train station after grabbing my commemorative postcard. My train ended up stopping in a random Swiss town where I was stuck for an hour before having to get on a train to Como, and then a third train back to Milan, which was painfully packed. This makes it seem like I had a bad trip, but it’s one of my favorites. Experiencing real mountains, a gorgeous lake, and some of the greatest views of my entire life while being active in nature gave me a much more positive outlook on my future abroad.
Day trips have become some of my favorite things. These trips tend to just randomly come to fruition a couple days before I leave, which may not be the most economical, but it works for me. Since going to Lugano, I’ve travelled around Italy to Verona, Aosta, Cogne, and Lecco all on my own.
My solo day trips even motivated me to go to a concert by myself. A lot of artists come through Milan when on tour, and I ended up getting tickets to 5 Seconds of Summer a few days before they were here. It was definitely a different experience than I was used to, but it was just another thing that forced me out of my comfort zone, and I’m so happy I went.
Still, there was only really one place I wanted to go while abroad. My main goals were to explore Italy and go to Greece. I feel pretty successful at the former, but I knew I would be disappointed if I didn’t try to achieve the latter. This led to me taking my first, and only, solo multi-day trip. I booked my flights and accommodation, and committed to trying something even newer and scarier. Athens was not what I expected, but I am so happy I pushed myself. The other girls in my hostel were very kind, and I went to an outdoor movie with one of them, ironically seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2 in Athens instead of Milan. I spent multiple days exploring a city that I have always dreamed of traveling to, and I took a train to the coast, so I could see and touch the water. The trip was, by no means, perfect, but I was so proud of myself. Every time I go somewhere new, it makes me want to travel more, and now that I’ve experienced hostel life, I know it’s something I could do again.
I still spend a lot of time on Facetime with friends and family from home, but being forced to be by myself has given me a new perspective on solo adventures, and a much larger appreciation for those around me.
Kelsey Welby
Spring 2026
GW Exchange - Bocconi University
School of Business
Business Major