Study abroad or school sanctioned vacation?

This weekend me and a few other students in my program went on a wine, cava, and tapas tour. There were eight of us total from our group, along with three other couples that took the tour with us. When we all sat down for tapas together, one of the men in the group asked us why we were all here in Barcelona. After explaining to him that we were here for studying purposes he made a joke about how it is more like a vacation. We all thought this was funny, and maybe in some ways true, but it got me thinking about how exactly I have managed to keep up with the work in my classes, while seeing as much as possible. 

During the first week of being here, I fell into the trap of almost forgetting I was also taking classes. I would attend all of my classes, but then afterwards, me and other students would take on a full day of adventuring. This kind of came back to bite me, when I had to spend a full Sunday working on homework and trying to catch up. When you go abroad it is easy to get caught up in all of the excitement and forget about your responsibilities for a while, but it is also important to remember why you are here. I have found that the best way to think of it, is that I am here to both learn in the classroom as well as to learn from my experiences. 

Some advice for you if you plan to go abroad:

1. Don't feel like you have to cram everything into one week, most abroad programs are a month or longer, and it's amazing what you can see and get done in that time. Spread out the adventures. Find a good balance. 
2. It is okay if you have to dedicate one day here and there to just studying and getting things done. Remember, whatever it is you want to see will most likely be there tomorrow, get your work done and keep on top of your grades too!
3. Fit in as much fun as you can. If you find a good balance with your school work, you won't have to spend hours studying. Find ways to fit something new and fun into each day, even if that is just stumbling on a cool new cafe to do some reading, or laying on the beach and relaxing for a day. 
4. Finally, remember you're not only learning in the classroom. Every experience you have or person you meet, there is something to learn. Really embrace that, and you will find that you are really learning during every moment of your days. 

In a place where it is often hard to choose whether to go out and explore or to spend your time studying, being abroad has given me some even better time management skills. As my time here is coming to a close, I am grateful I have been able to find a balance.