My favorite memory from my time as a college student goes like this:

5am: I wake up, get dressed in one of only two outfits (both of which are more dirty than I’d like to admit) and begin walking while the sun is still rising.

7am: I stop at a cafe to enjoy a coffee and pastry. I sit outside and plan what other towns I would like to stop in throughout the day. I take into consideration the recommendations from the owner of the cafe and fellow customers who are more familiar with the area than I am. They are excited to share their knowledge (whether or not I ask for it!).

9am: I strike up conversation with well known and brand new friends on the same journey; we connect over the blisters on our feet and the pain in our backs from carrying all of our belongings.

12pm: I stop for lunch with a friend or two. We savor every bite of our meal; we know we need the energy for the journey to come. The food may be simple or elaborate, but either way it tastes delicious!

2pm: I walk on dirt paths where I might be stopped by a herd of sheep unexpectedly, but also on city roads lined with trendy bars and restaurants. I marvel at fields of bright yellow flowers, intimidating mountain ranges, and adorable babies on the road ahead of me.

4pm: I continue to walk — rain or shine — for about 20 miles until my feet hurt too much to continue.

6pm: I check into any local albergue that has room for me. Somewhere between a hostel and a hotel, my albergue might simply be a spare room in a local resident’s home or a well-developed business, but in any case I feel deeply grateful to have a bed to rest in for the night.

8pm: I eat a hearty dinner with friends who now feel like family. After, we walk together around the town we have chosen for the night, appreciating what characteristics are unique from others we have seen before.

10pm: I fall asleep amidst the rustling and hushed laughter of many others in bunk beds surrounding me.

The next day, I repeat every step again.

For over 30 days during the summer going into my senior year of college, I did nothing but repeat this day with small variations while on El Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile pilgrimage throughout Northern Spain. Having just wrapped up a year studying abroad in Western Europe during which I was constantly in a state of wonder from standing in awe at historical relics, beautiful architecture, and fascinating people, I had a newfound appreciation for how much of the world and its history I didn’t know.

More significantly, my time abroad taught me a valuable lesson: the importance of savoring experiences in the moment as they occur.

While in my daily life I was (and am!) prone to feel that not “doing” anything is counterproductive (often to an extent that can be harmful), the ceaseless amazement I felt while traveling forced me to slow down and be present like I had never been before.

This learning culminated on El Camino, where I felt a wonderful sense of freedom from obligation and expectation. With nothing to do but walk, I talked with those I met along the way about anything and everything. In hindsight, I recognize that this allowed me to savor the many new and exciting experiences I was enjoying — from breath-taking views, to fascinating, newfound foreign friends, to delicious paella. Stripped of nearly all materialistic considerations and free from my usual concerns, I truly lived fully.

Before I studied abroad in college, I had hardly been outside of the United States. I had chosen to attend school relatively close to where I grew up, but studying abroad was an integral part of the student experience at my college and thus at the forefront of my mind even as a freshman. At Gonzaga University, 1 out of every 2 students study abroad, an impressive ratio given that fewer than 10% of American students study abroad during college overall (NAFSA). If it weren’t for how easy the study abroad application process was at my college, and especially due to the fact that a scholarship specifically for students studying abroad actually made it cheaper for me to study in Italy than in Washington state, I probably never would have attempted to journey outside of my home. I can’t imagine how different I would be if I hadn’t.

Studying abroad had a lasting impact on my philosophy of happiness. I learned how liberating it is to be completely engaged in the moment you are living and in those you are living it with in a way that I had never experienced before, which made the world feel so much more open and accessible. This, in turn, inspired confidence and built independence in me at an important time in my life, as I was about to tackle my senior year and start thinking seriously about what I wanted after college.

In my daily life, I no longer have the opportunity to walk endlessly all day or marvel over ancient architecture, but these lessons remain integral to my perspective on life post-college.

Piper Sutherland joined ScholarMatch after graduating from Gonzaga University with a degree in Economics. Piper has significant experience in the field of youth development, having coordinated a program serving homeless adolescents, working as a Court Appointed Advocate for children in foster care, and serving as both a mentor and mentor coordinator for at-risk youth in her community. Piper feels passionate about the need to address and combat educational inequity and is excited to work with others who are committed to improving access to higher education. Piper manages ScholarMatch’s nation-wide Virtual Advising program.

#MyCollegeStory is a ScholarMatch original series highlighting the diverse and varied journeys to and through higher education. Check back each month for new stories!

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