When Can I Go Back to Berlin?

I could not have asked for a better place to spend my semester abroad than in Berlin. The history, the club/social scene, the variety of cuisine, and the public transportation system were all incredible.
To start off this review, I want to express that yes, this will be a scary experience-you're stepping outside of your comfort zone. However, don't let that stop you: the faculty are incredibly supportive and will help you any way they can. If you've been seeing a counselor at your home university, there are English speaking counselors, one of which I saw while abroad. It was a Godsend to have someone to share all the highs and lows of my experience with.
I lived in a homestay, which (as with everything) had its pros and cons. Faculty will warn you about getting caught in the "American Bubble" where you stay in a comfortable space (aka the CIEE building) and don't explore and interact with Berliners. By being in a homestay I prevented getting caught in this American Bubble. However, I do think I missed out on some social perks of staying in a dorm with other students. The dorms are average as far as dorms go; the kitchens are shared, which means they are almost always a mess. As far as academics, the courses I took were interesting and all the professors are incredibly intelligent. One of my professors used to be the director of Doctors Without Borders in Berlin, and he took us to meet with them during one class period! Professors are encouraged to use Wednesday mornings or class time for "academic excursions", which I think added greatly to the class and helped me explore the city of Berlin more. The classes were just challenging enough without impeding on my desire to explore the city outside of class time. The one downside of the academics was the lack of students taking classes taught in German; as a German minor I was excited to take German classes, but many of the courses I wanted to take were cancelled due to low enrollment.
The absolute best part about this program were the weekend trips. There were three total-one for each block-and hotel, breakfast, two meals, and two tours/activities are included in tuition! I know some students opted out of the trip (you always have this option) to travel on their own, which I never understood; a free trip with interesting locations? Sign me up! A word of advice that I'm sure the faculty will also express: spend some weekends in Berlin. As much as you'll want to travel outside of the city, Berlin has so much to offer, and you'll get more out of your experience if you don't go away every weekend. That being said, I really enjoyed meeting some of my friends in Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark, for long weekend trips!
Studying abroad was one of the best choices I made during my undergraduate career. I learned so much more about the German culture and particularly the culture and history of Berlin. Traveling alone made me so much more confident and independent. I caught the "traveling bug" and am looking forward to the next time I travel overseas (because there will be a next time!)