By anishag22
Before I came to Bristol, I had my life all planned out: Continue interning in PR until graduation, then get a PR job right away in San Francisco. While it's likely that I'll end up back home in California eventually, being in Bristol these last few months has changed my outlook on a lot of things. I am absolutely loving my time here, so much so that it's made me consider what my life could be like if I moved out of the country or deviated from my PR plans for a little.
The truth is, no one can predict what will happen in the next few years, but I know that my time abroad has opened my eyes to new possibilities. I'm still extremely career-motivated (just like most GW students) and know that I'll most likely start out a career in public relations, but I think that I'm a little less hard on myself now. For example, last summer I applied to countless internships and would get so upset at rejection. Now, I'm a little more go-with-the-flow. I see it more as "If it works out, it works out, and if it doesn't, that's alright too."
At GW, students are so insanely career-motivated: the pressure is always on to have a great internship and be one step ahead of the pack. At University of Bristol, students are much more easygoing yet still focused on academic success. It's nice to get a taste of the latter, if only for one semester.
The beauty of 'the future' is the fact that it is never set in stone. Everything is malleable because we are constantly evolving, growing and learning new things on a daily basis. In the short time that I've been here, Bristol has allowed me to grow, mature and enjoy the day-to-day. My ideal future three months ago looks a bit different from my ideal future now, and that's okay. If who we are is a sum of all of our experiences, then I'm certainly glad that my time in Bristol is a part of it.
Until next time -
Xx, Anisha