As a third-year college student attending Colorado State University in Fort Collins, I jumped at the chance to study abroad. Trading in a semester of snow and freezing temperatures for beautiful architecture and centuries-old art was a no-brainer.
I was so excited that I filled out the application to study in Florence nearly a year before the day I would depart. Four months in Florence, Italy, was comparable to the cost of a semester at my state school. After talking to my parents and counselor, I believed the cultural experience and travel opportunities were worth it.
I knew that when I arrived, I would have to budget when traveling —doing so through communal hostel stays and low-cost airlines. I was prepared for overstuffed backpacks and bus tickets; upon arrival, though, it became clear that pinching pennies was not on everyone’s agenda.
The other students are jet-setting every weekend to expensive locations
The first few …