Sara’s abroad in Paris, France, until Dec. 13.

After months of preparation for my big Europe adventure -– application submissions, endless meetings and emails, even the fun part where I got to buy luggage, clothes, a new digital camera — it still doesn’t seem like I should be ready to board a plane with a one-way ticket to Paris and leave everything in the States behind. With just about 14 hours to go, my room is littered with unpacked clothes, French textbooks, suitcases, camera chargers and my growing list of things that need to be done before 2 p.m. rolls around tomorrow and it all has to be thrown into the backseat of the car and driven to O’Hare. Yikes.

For anyone who has studied abroad before, you know that for the weeks and months leading up to your departure, you’re met with excited expressions from friends and family who want to know how thrilled you are, what you plan on doing and how much you will miss the people, cities and life you say goodbye to. Well, I have to admit, for the past few days, my excitement has been a mixture of anxiety and thrill. By my estimation, Northwestern students are known for being fairly independent — it’s why we chose not to go to a university close to home or with our high school clique. So when it came time to decide on a study abroad program (because for me, at least, I always knew going somewhere was a must while away at school) I didn’t take into account friends going on similar trips, the kinds of students I would be surrounded by, or any other typical comfort factors that make long distances from home more bearable. But in the past few days it has been sinking how really far away – from Evanston, Chicago, friends and family – Paris really is. So, I won’t lie and say that while I’m furiously stuffing as many tank tops and leggings into my two full-size suitcases that I’m not a little nervous. I happen to be rooming with a friend from Northwestern and know tons of people who will be heading across the pond this fall which does calm my nerves a little bit, though.

But as I packed, the opening game blaring on my TV in the background as I crossed my fingers until we beat Syracuse (in the only game I’ll be able to watch this season), I know there are definitely things I’ll miss. Like most students abroad, there will undoubtedly be days that I wish I could just slump down on the lakefill and soak up the sun or wake up early for kegs n’ eggs before heading up to Welsh Ryan with fellow amazingly optimistic NU fans.

And at such an exciting time to be in America, with a monumental election about to really get underway, it does seem a little strange to be waving goodbye to the red, white and blue. (I’ll still be hopping on CNN.com occasionally …and let’s be honest, Perez, to get my fix of political news and indulge in my guilty pleasure of celebrity journalism).

So with all that said, it might sound like I’m not totally pumped to be jetting off to France. But, I really am. Yes, there are butterflies in my stomach, but I really am excited beyond words to step off that plane and starting parler-ing francais as I explore Paris. I spent about an hour last night putting off packing and researching the hotel/hostel that I’ll be calling home for the next three months, mapping out how to get to the famous Champs – Elysees (the French equivalent of the Mag Mile), the Eiffel Tower and all the touristy places that I’ll (hopefully) scoff at by the time this trip comes to a close. I mean, no one likes feeling like a tourist but you have to start somewhere. The most exciting thing though? It’s the thought that after this trip, I will always be able to call Paris home. Like Evanston will always be more than just another city, after my three-month stay, Paris will be more than just another travel destination.

On that note, it’s time to pull myself away from the computer and get back to figuring out how to stuff 12 weeks worth of clothes in two suitcases, while hopefully avoiding hefty airline overage charges. Wish me luck. Au revoir!

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