Don't Waste a Single Moment

Whether it’s specifically Plus3 Ireland or any other Plus3 program, the best advice I have is to make the most out of your time. The program is very short (only two weeks), and you will constantly be busy. The program really packs in a lot of activities such as site visits, lectures, and tourism opportunities and it can be exhausting. However, the exhaustion is worth it. The time really does fly by, and you don’t want to leave wishing you had gone to a certain restaurant, walked through a certain museum, or visited a certain sight-seeing spot. Use your free time to explore with others and try to immerse yourself into the culture as much as possible. Find the local restaurants and shops to have a more authentic experience and get the most out of your time there.
I would also advise future participants to make sure to take some time to themselves. It can be difficult traveling with a large group of people and especially for introverts (like me) being social 24/7 can be a lot. Though you will be very busy with what the program has planned and the exploring you want to do yourself, make sure to find some downtime and use it to reflect on your experience, watch an episode of a TV show, or listen to music. Blog posts are a part of each Plus3 program and every day you will have to spend some time discussing your day and what you have been learning during the trip. This is a great time to find a place to yourself and take a quick pause on the day to collect your thoughts before partaking in more exploring and fun with your peers on the trip.
Lastly, I would say that nerves are understandable, but know that pushing yourself out of your comfort zone will be worth it. Everyone you travel with will be in the same boat as you and it will be fun to experience things together. You will be living with and traveling to a foreign country with 20 people and creating memories with peers you may have never even seen before. The social aspect of the program is just as important (if not more) than the academic part. You may go into the trip not knowing a single person, but you will come out of it thinking you’ve known those people for a decade. You will be seeing those faces when you go back to campus, and it will be great to have new friends in classes that you have a common experience and strong bond with.