Rory Cooke, Japan: Its People and Culture, Summer 2026
If you are reading this, then you are probably either about to study abroad or seriously thinking about it, and my first piece of advice is that you should go, because studying abroad is an invaluable experience that became not only my favorite part of college but, honestly, my favorite thing I have ever done.
The actual advice that I would give is this: while you are abroad, say yes to as many adventures as you can, no matter how small they may seem.
I made that a mission for myself while I was in Japan, and I mean the small ones just as much as the big ones. I said yes to going to Tokyo for a weekend on a whim with barely any planning, which was incredible and exactly the kind of thing you would expect to end up on a list like this. But I also said yes to walking to 7-Eleven with a friend for 5 minutes at eleven at night for no real reason, and to riding the train one stop past where I would normally get off just to see what was there, and to eating at places where I could not read the sign out front.
The thing is, those are the ones that stack up. Looking back at those five weeks now, the big trips are obviously in there, but so is the enormous pile of small ordinary stuff that turned out to be what actually made it feel like I was living somewhere rather than sightseeing, and I am so grateful for all of it. The walks back, the conversations that only happened because a friend and I were going somewhere together, and the random neighborhoods are what really stick with me.
I’m pushing this because the time is short, and five weeks feels like a long stretch until you are in week four and start trying to figure out how many days are left. It is genuinely easy to stay in because you are tired, or the plan is vague, or you already did a lot that day. But every night you stay in is one you do not get back, especially in a place you may not go back to in a long time or ever, and I have never once heard someone say they regretted going out, while I have definitely
heard the opposite.
I came home with no regrets at all about my time there, and I am confident that it is primarily because of the mindset I went in with and the great people that I was surrounded by. So take the weekend trip, but also take the pointless five-minute walk, and go to the thing where you might not know anyone, and order the food you can’t read the name of. Wherever you end up going, I hope you get to the end of it with no regrets and happy with all the decisions you made, people you met, and places you went.
Leave a Reply