Larena Tannert is a journalism junior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Everyone warns you about culture shock before you go abroad. They tell you about language barriers, homesickness and the confusion of navigating a foreign country. What nobody prepares you for is the reverse culture shock of returning back home.
When I returned to Cal Poly after a semester in Spain, I expected a seamless transition back into my old life. Instead, I found myself struggling with something I never anticipated: the amount of time school demands here in comparison to abroad.
My classes in Madrid were later in the day and only three hours a week per class instead of the four hours I was used to at home. I took low-level GE classes and professors never assigned homework, which gave me free time to explore and experience the city. Before Spain, I never thought twice about being constantly busy.
At Cal Poly, I’m back to the usual rhythm of longer classes, time-consuming homework assignments, and the expectation of 25-35 hours of studying per week. My days are full again: class, homework, class, study, repeat. After experiencing the slower and less demanding pace in Spain, I’m rediscovering what it means to be academically challenged. There is something satisfying about diving back into stimulating coursework, even if it doesn’t feel normal yet.
“The biggest adjustment has been re-establishing a routine,” Josh Hakman, a graphic design junior, said. He studied abroad in Florence in Fall 2025 and understands this struggle completely. “Being abroad for so long allowed me to get into a routine that fit my environment, but now that I am back, I’ve found it difficult to revert back to my old routine.”
It’s more than just a time management adjustment; I am struggling to revert back to my old routine because I am no longer the same person I was when I left for Spain in September. Living abroad forced me to become more independent in ways I could not have expected. I learned to navigate foreign cities alone and discovered how to trust my own judgment in unfamiliar situations.
Now the new version of me is back in an environment built around someone I used to be, but that person doesn’t exist anymore. I expected to pick up where I had left off and fall right back into old habits, yet I failed to account for all of the growth that comes with studying abroad. Trying to force myself back into those old patterns has proved impossible.
All of the routines I would move thoughtlessly through now feel unsustainable. During my time in Madrid, I learned that productivity does not require constant motion and that slowing down can actually make me more diligent. I also had more time to explore with a lighter load of classes and fewer responsibilities.
College culture in America operates differently from the European philosophy I experienced abroad. Cal Poly’s “work hard, play hard” mentality presents a new challenge: finding ways to incorporate the balance I discovered in Spain into this faster-paced environment. Some days I can find a pace that works, blending the productivity of Cal Poly with the mindfulness I learned in Madrid. Other days are still a work in progress, but I am learning to be patient as I figure out what that balance will look like here.
“It’s difficult not having a trip or something exciting to look forward to every day, Gianna Vasquez, a communications junior who also studied in Madrid this past fall, said.
While abroad, each weekend held a new place to explore. I spent Saturdays wandering new cities and weeknights trying restaurants I’d never heard of. Back at Cal Poly, I’m learning to find adventure in different ways: discovering new study spots, hiking Madonna for the first time, and appreciating the moments of discovery that exist here too. My days are just as full, but in a different way from what I had been accustomed to.
A lot of students take easier classes abroad, and now I understand why. It has nothing to do with being lazy; it is about finding the time and space to actually experience the place you’re in, which is a huge part of studying abroad.
The excitement that fueled my everyday in Spain has been replaced by the predictable routine of campus life. But I am starting to find that this structure might not be a bad thing.
This period of re-adjusting is teaching me something important: how to use the lessons I learned during my time abroad and incorporate them into everyday life at Cal Poly. From walking around my neighborhood to watching the sunset at Avila, I am starting to find moments to take a break in my busy schedule, and to slow down and take a breather when everything around me is moving fast.
The discomfort of returning home is not a sign that something went wrong. It serves as proof that something went very right. I lived deeply enough in another place that coming back feels strange. I experienced a different way of learning, and it has changed how I view productivity and balance every day.
San Luis Obispo isn’t Madrid. But I still get to be adventurous, spend time with friends and have new, fun experiences. I am able to make the most of where I am at, with the people around me and feel simultaneously grateful for the time spent abroad, as well as the time I am spending now, back at Cal Poly.
To everyone who is coming home from their adventures abroad: be patient with yourself. The routines will come, but they will look different than before. You may feel overwhelmed by schedules that used to be your everyday norm. That is not a failure of readjustment, but rather proof of growth from a unique and formative experience.