The art of procrastination

By: Amanda Reid, Columnist

The key to being a successful study abroad student is to be a part-time scholar, part-time tourist. To successfully procrastinate, you have to put away Netflix (which doesn’t even work here), put down your phone and go explore.

The best thing to do on Sunday is to Google sightseeing things that you can do in the city you are studying in, and try and set a goal for each day as to what you want to see.

For example, my procrastination has taken me to the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Royal Cathedral, Retiro Park, the Naval Museum, an Egyptian Temple, a sky trolley over the city and an art museum.

And the more research I do, the more museums I find exist here.

My program was also very helpful by letting me know what museums are free on certain days, and that you can go virtually anywhere and get a discount if you have a student ID.

On weekends, procrastination becomes even easier because you can plan day trips to cities in the country you’re staying in, you can travel to other countries, or you can stay and enjoy your city’s night life.

As you all know from reading my previous pieces, so far I have been to France and Portugal, and I have trips planned for Amsterdam, Italy and Poland before the end of the semester.

As far as sightseeing in Spain, I have been to most of the touristy cities on my previous trips here. This trip so far I have returned to Toledo and taken a medieval train to Siguenza.

The price of my program also includes several weekend trips to cities in Spain, and it also includes a trip next weekend to Morocco for five days! I can’t wait to write about my adventures riding camels, camping in the desert and exploring Moroccan markets in one of my future columns.

Yes I know, I’m a horrible for telling you to procrastinate, but I mean procrastinate for the afternoon.

Homework, in Spain at least, has a large influence on grades.

So go out and enjoy the afternoon, but be prepared to do all the work you have been assigned after the sun goes down.

Every city has its own hidden gems, you just have to look up from your phone apps and take part in the culture because, as I´ve heard hundreds of times now, the opportunity to study abroad is a once in a lifetime experience.

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