Everyone’s heard of the Freshmen 15 and Sophomore Slump, but do you know about Junioritis? As application deadlines give way to site-specific orientations and $800 plane tickets, it strikes campus: study abroad.
The multiple deadlines and meetings of study abroad can add a lot of stress to an already packed schedule. And while it’s nice to know that the pressure will be off next semester, the days seem to drag on in an unending cycle between dining hall, class and the library as you dream of Euro-trash or Caribbean islands.
“It’s tempting when doing papers to think: I’m going to be abroad in a month, so it doesn’t matter as much,” Amelia Post (SFS ‘07) said.
On the other hand, knowing that you will be leaving the Hilltop so soon can make you think about what you are leaving behind. Counting the summer, students who study abroad won’t be seeing their friends for almost nine months.
They could get pregnant and abort the baby and their friends would never even know.
Worried about leaving behind a significant other, it’s not uncommon for some Hoyas to avoid getting entangled with someone else altogether.
“I don’t have a serious relationship,” Drew Beck (SFS ‘07) said. “It’s kind of because of I knew I would probably break it off before I left.”
Males are not the only ones who feel this way.
“I’ve definitely felt the impending study abroad attitude,” Alyssa Morrissey (CAS ‘07) said. “You kind of don’t want to start anything.”
An anonymous Georgetown guy admitted that knowing he would be away from his girlfriend seriously affected his decision not to go abroad. Let’s face it, a Webcam just doesn’t cut it. Everyone has needs.
Although there are sacrifices involved with going abroad, its continued popularity among Georgetown students shows that they think the sacrifices are worth it. So savor the last few weeks, balancing them between spending time with friends and taking advantage of your amazing teachers and classes. When you’re bogged down searching for mosquito netting, you’ll miss reading Kierkegard in your clean air-conditioned cubicle in Lauinger. Most of all, remember that you still have senior year.
“Life goes on without you at Georgetown,” Jessica Stewart (SFS ‘07) said. “But when you come back, I’m sure you can just jump right in again and pick up where you left off.”
