How to Spend Your Birthday Abroad (feat. The Winter Olympics)

If you're reading this, I'm assuming you are interested in going abroad at some point during college. There's a decent chance your birthday will also happen during your time in another country. Coming from someone that usually doesn't plan a lot for her birthday, I knew I had to make this one special. I'm writing this after an incredible weekend where I turned 21 this past Monday. Along with sharing my experience, I want to explain what made my special day feel so great.

Before arriving to Milan, I made sure my friends and extended family had access to WhatsApp or my social media. This ensured that I was able to contact people that I don't speak to on a daily basis. This is useful outside the context of birthdays but definitely helped me fight off any birthday blues from people not being able to message me. As someone who is prone to feeling all the feelings when I get older, this was absolutely a must. There was another thing I did before I arrived in Milan, but that will come later in this blog post!

I spent the Saturday before my birthday in the area near the Duomo. I used this as an excuse to get some clothes I was eyeing and to see certain tourist attractions that I haven't had the time to visit. One of these was the Starbucks Roastery, which showed both their global influence and Italian staples. It was very impressive to go in and the menu options were delicious.

The outside of the Starbucks Roastery

On Sunday I decided to visit Mudec, or the Museum of Culture. They had a really great permanent display and a cool exhibition on how indigenous cultures lived in the far North. Coming from someone who has worked in a museum, this made me feel closer to home. The tickets were free, and small outings like this can really make a difference in how your week goes.

Monday was my actual birthday. A big reason why I did so much for the weekend and the day after was because I had class on my birthday. I spent this day catching up with a lot of people over calls and texts, which filled me with gratitude. Later that day I got dinner with one of my friends I've made here. Surrounding myself with people that show up both online and in person is an incredible gift, and one that everyone deserves on their birthday.

My birthday dinner with my closest friend here!

For Tuesday, I decided to splurge and buy myself tickets to figure skating at the Olympics! I have been a long-time fan of figure skating and keep up with the sport throughout the year. I was looking forward to this for quite a while and it honestly didn't feel real. I saw the Women's Short Program, which was super inspiring to watch. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see my favorite sport on Olympic ice, I absolutely had to go see it. If you have the financial means, and if something really cool comes up, I highly recommend having something like this to look forward to as you approach your birthday.

Got a picture with Tina, the Olympic Mascot!

Another side note: Don't be afraid to have experiences like these alone! As long as you remain safe, you can absolutely enjoy what your city has to offer without waiting on another person to be available. Yes, making friends is important while abroad, but it is equally important to enjoy your own company. I truly think that was the key in making my time here, including my birthday, so special. More from me next week!