Taylor Ryan

Hi! My name is Taylor and I am a sophomore at Drake and have been a proud member of Beta Kappa since the Fall of 2014. 

I am currently studying abroad in London, England at the University of Westminster. It’s been the semester of a lifetime, full of new adventures and friendships. 

A large part of my experience, however, has been the support from my sisters back home. Before I left, I admit, I was nervous. Actually, I was terrified. I couldn’t believe I was leaving everything comfortable in my life for five entire months. Beyond that, I was nervous to leave those close to me for that long. 
 
My sisters were my backbone. From the moment I told them I was leaving for the semester they were encouraging and supportive. Before I left, those who had studied abroad in the past gave me words of wisdom and all the helpful tips they had gathered during their own semesters. But, most importantly, it was the loving support I got from those back home while I was away that reminded me what a Theta sisterhood is all about.

​This support came in a variety of ways. It could have been a Skype date or the care package I received full of letters halfway through the semester. Often times, however, this support came in more subtle ways. It was a text message ending in “we miss you!”. It was an email to “just check in” on how I was doing. It was even the comments made on my Facebook photos that reminded me of the love coming from home.
 
Going abroad wasn’t easy; I was standing on the edge of my comfort zone, getting ready to jump. Being a part of Theta, however made the dive that much easier. Nothing could have truly prepared me for the semester ahead of me, but the simple knowledge that I had the largest and strongest support system back home was enough for me.
 

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