Inaction Gets You Nowhere

There's this funny thing about life: If you do nothing, almost nothing will happen to you.

This has come down on me a lot the past week. I didn't quite come to Innsbruck with a social plan. I had my schooling and traveling and financials all set up but I didn't really think that hard about my social life. Some where in my head I think I assumed that part would just happen.

It doesn't.

You have to make it happen just like everything else. I think it is the fact that this adventure has been so overwhelming that finally made me see that I can't just sit back if I want to make the most of it. I have to get out there and be assertive with my desires for friends and activities. You can't be afraid to ask someone if they want to do something. You can't just wait for them. You have to make it happen.

So I did. I made sure and set up a time to meet up with Pinar and hit the town and that was a blast! She is such a nice girl and I enjoyed the evening a lot.

Then after a pretty calm weekend I sat down and got onto my online networks. I found activities where I can meet people in a smart safe way. I sent out a call on the local couch surfing group saying "hey I'm new and I need to find some people to go out on the town with" and what did I get? Five different people within two hours who wanted to introduce me to their friends or meet up in places.

Now I did this the smart way. Couch surfing has an identity verifying process (so you can't pretend to be a young girl and be a super creep old man) and I'll only meet up with people who have been verified and have good references. I also meet in public areas and mostly with groups or girls.

I also got linked in with the leader of an American exchange at the university and she invited me to an event that her students are going to. So I will hopefully be meeting some of the American students here.

I went from an empty social calendar to a packed one in one day. Look into your resources. Don't leave having a good time up to chance. I don't want to waste weeks doing the awkward friendship dance with people in my classes and my dorm. I want to start enjoying this city now! And that only happens if you are assertive.

Welp hope that helps someone in this big bad world of Study Abroad.
Later!
Carly