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The courage of studying abroad outside the box: the story of F. and the discovery of Berlin
Summary
Every orientation journey is unique, made up of enthusiasms and second thoughts, fears to be faced and unexpected discoveries. In this article I tell the story of F., a student with an artistic soul who, through a months-long investigation, found her way into psychology in Berlin. A journey that involved not only her, but also her parents, who were called upon to transform anxiety into confidence. F.'s is just one of the many stories I accompany: each student has his or her own path, their own fears, their own revelations. But some dynamics are repeated, and sharing them can be helpful to those who are beginning this journey.
When the creative soul meets psychology: a path to guidance amid doubts, emotions and conscious choices
I still remember vividly the first meeting with F.
It was a rainy afternoon in late October, and the grayness outside the window seemed to perfectly reflect her mood. F. was a bright student, with an enviable grade point average and a near-native level of English. On paper, the perfect profile for any elite university.
Yet, in his eyes I did not see the spark of excitement that usually accompanies the beginning of senior year of high school.
He had an artistic and creative soul that emerged from every story. She drew, she wrote, she loved movies. But she felt trapped between that part of herself and the expectations of a “serious” path.
“Everyone tells me where I should go,” he said in frustration. “London, Milan, maybe Holland. The usual names. But I feel I would miss the air.”.
Little did she know yet that she was seeking a study abroad experience radically different from what she had imagined.
Early doubts: when family comes into play.
At the second meeting, I met F.'s parents. It was the most delicate moment.
The father was pragmatic, almost wary. “Berlin? But what job prospects are there? What about German?” The mother oscillated between enthusiasm for her daughter and an underlying fear of losing her.
I have learned to recognize these dynamics. Parental anxiety is natural, but if it is not intercepted and managed, it risks becoming a brake.
I asked them to make their fears explicit. The father feared an economic investment with no return. The mother feared that F. would be lonely, far from home, in a city she imagined cold and hostile.
We addressed every doubt, one by one.
I showed the numbers: the cost of living in Berlin is often more affordable than in London or Amsterdam. I explained that the courses would be entirely in English. I told them about the support structures, the individualized tutoring.
Slowly, the atmosphere changed. Father began to ask constructive questions. Mother smiled for the first time.
When a family evaluates a study abroad, financial planning and open dialogue make the difference between an instinctive “no” and a conscious “yes.”.
The emotional alternation: excitement, fear, second thoughts
The path with F. has not been linear. Never is.
There were moments of great excitement. After discovering the Forward College and her “3 years, 3 cities” model-Lisbon, Paris, Berlin-F. was thrilled. “This is exactly what I was looking for!” she wrote me one evening.
But then came second thoughts.
A week later, F. called me in doubt. “What if I'm not good enough? What if I regret it? What if my parents were right and I'm just chasing a dream?”.
I immediately recognized that emotional merry-go-round. Euphoria, fear of not making it, preemptive nostalgia. These are obligatory stages for those about to take a leap into the void.
I told her what I always say, “Fear is not the enemy. It is a compass. It means you are taking this choice seriously.”.
We worked together to name those emotions, without repressing them. This is what distinguishes one study abroad conscious from an escape: the ability to stand in discomfort and turn it into fuel.
The turning point: from art to psychology
There was a knot to untie: what to study.
He loved art, creativity, cinema. For a moment, he considered the BIMM Institute in Berlin, a university focused on the creative industries, where music, film and video games are studied with a hands-on, professionalizing approach.
We virtually visited the campus. F. was fascinated. But something wasn't quite right.
“I like to create,” he said, “but what I'm really passionate about is understanding people: why they do what they do, what they feel, and how the mind works.”.
It was a revelation. He did not want to abandon his creative soul, but he had realized that his true calling lay elsewhere. He wanted to study psychology.
Forward College offered exactly that: a pathway in Psychology and Behavioural Sciences with academic direction from LSE, in an environment that valued critical thinking and creativity.
He could unite the two souls: the scientific rigor of psychology and the innovative approach of an institution that would never reduce it to a number.
Parents: from resistance to support
Meanwhile, the parents were also embarking on their own journey.
The father, initially skeptical, had studied the data on the’employability of international graduates. He understood that those returning from an experience of study abroad brings with it skills that companies struggle to find: adaptability, problem solving, cultural intelligence.
The mother had talked to other families who had already gone through this experience. She had found that the fear of separation was normal, but that the children returned stronger, more autonomous, more aware.
One day she wrote to me, “We realized that we cannot burden her with our anxiety. We have to trust her.”.
That was the moment I knew we were going to make it.
Skills you don't learn in books
He chose Berlin and Forward College. But the real victory was not enrollment. It was the transformation.
Statistics tell us that those who complete a course of study abroad enjoys a distinct competitive advantage. But the value goes beyond the curriculum.
He will learn how to manage a budget in a foreign city. To ask for information in English when lost. To tolerate the discomfort of uncertainty. To build relationships with people from different cultures.
She will study psychology, yes. But on the subway, in cafes, on shared study nights, she will learn something more valuable: to know herself.
Each route is unique
F.'s story is just one of many that I am privileged to accompany.
Every student comes with different baggage. There are those who are crystal clear and those who are groping in the dark. There are those who have enthusiastic parents and those who have to convince a skeptical family. There are those who choose London, those who choose Amsterdam, and those who discover Berlin as F.
There are no magic formulas. There is no perfect path that applies to everyone.
What there is is a method: listening, exploring together, naming fears, building a customized project. One study abroad One does not choose from the rankings. One builds starting with who you are and who you want to become.
The red thread of awareness
My work with F. ends here, but his journey has just begun.
Looking back on that first rainy meeting, I smile as I think about how far we have come together. From initial fears to second thoughts, from artistic soul to the choice of psychology, from parents' doubts to their unconditional support.
F.'s story teaches us that one study abroad Is never a straight line. It is a path made of curves, climbs, moments of loss. But it is precisely in those curves that you build the person you will become.
Today's young people are not naive. They know that the future is uncertain.
It is our job as adults not to burden them with our anxieties, but to provide them with the tools to navigate. And sometimes, a simple question is enough to change everything.
“Have you ever thought about Berlin?”.
Want to explore the right path for you or your child?
If F.'s story got you thinking, if you are considering a study abroad experience but don't know where to start, I am here to help.
Each pathway starts with a conversation. Write to me to tell me about your situation: together we can explore options, address concerns and build a tailored project.
The 2026 will be the year of those with the grit to embrace the new with courage and awareness. It could be your year.
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