Cozy Moonchild Blog

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This did not necessarily stem from my academic education, but one thing I hold a quiet regret for is not deciding to study abroad during my sophomore year. At that point, I had built strong friendships and found a comforting routine in high school, between my involvement in strings and color guard. I was terrified at the idea of leaving all that behind to pursue a dream opportunity—studying in Japan. As an anime girlie, this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of decision, and I had fully backed myself into believing I could do it, even going so far as to craft a detailed pros and cons list.

The heartbreaking part? Money wasn’t the issue. I knew that with some part-time work and a few promises of hard labor to my grandparents, I could cover the costs. What really held me back was an overwhelming fear: the thought of stepping away from the life I had built for an entire year felt unbearable. Okay, maybe it was a little dramatic, but at the time, a year felt like forever.

Looking back, this experience taught me something far more valuable than any classroom lesson: you should chase every opportunity, especially the ones that scare you the most. Fear is often just a sign that you’re standing on the edge of something incredible.