Studying abroad in Oslo gave me a renewed sense of confidence and afforded me memories that I will deeply treasure for the rest of my life.

As the plane dipped below the clouds, I was startled by the blizzard outside my window. My surprise felt a little silly; of course, I knew Norway was a cold country. But, even being from Michigan, witnessing the harsh white landscape hundreds of feet below was both exhilarating and–admittedly–slightly intimidating.

Studying abroad has been a dream of mine for a very long time. Most of my family is from Scandinavia, so the opportunity to spend a semester in Norway was one that I immediately desired to pursue. Though it has gotten more affordable within the past few years for American students, Norway remains an expensive destination. The generosity afforded to me by Michigan State University and the incredible donors made this experience possible for me and I am eternally grateful.

My first night was a trial by fire characterized by an hour spent at 7/11 attempting unsuccessfully to swap my SIM card, a 700NOK ($70) five-minute taxi ride, and a two-mile walk dragging two fifty-pound suitcases through a foot of snow only to arrive in my dorm to discover that my bed had neither sheets nor pillows. Resting my head on two of my sweatshirts, I hoped that the hard part was over; fortunately, it was.

My remaining months in Norway would be some of the best and most rewarding of my life to this point. The vast majority of the amazing friends I made in my program were from a variety of different European countries and the flat mates I grew close to were Masters students from Denmark and Germany. I was infinitely impressed by how effortlessly Norwegian citizens switched from speaking Norwegian to (perfect) English and how willing they were to do so.

Oslo’s size and public transportation made traversing the city cheap and simple. I was fascinated to discover that my dorm was built to house the Olympians when Oslo held the games in 1952.

I could not list in one testimonial all of the incredible experiences I was able to have in Europe. I watched the Super Bowl in London due to the ease of travel between European countries. I went on an Erasmus trip to Finland and spent a week above the Arctic Circle with my friends. I visited family in both Copenhagen and Stockholm. I ran my first marathon in Bergen and watched my brother’s virtual high school graduation ceremony in the Lofoten Islands. The memories I will cherish the most, however, came from nights spent with friends in Oslo.

Though it is somewhat bittersweet to come back to the United States, I return with a strengthened sense of confidence and an eagerness to pursue the other opportunities available to me in the next two years.

Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made.

Name: Klay Kelley
Status: Sophomore
Major: Political Science/Pre-Law
Hometown: Mattawan, Michigan
Program: University of Oslo in Norway