When things come to an end (and we’re not totally okay with it)

There’s something weird about endings. 

Even when we know they’re coming. Even when we’re ready for them. Even when we’re desperately counting down the days until our final exam is over, our suitcase is packed, or we can finally stop pretending we enjoy the library at 11pm. 

And then suddenly… it’s here. 

The semester abroad is ending. The placement is over. The people we saw every day are heading home to completely different corners of the world. The routine we spent months building disappears almost overnight. 

And honestly, that can feel pretty strange. 

Because endings don’t always arrive with fireworks and cinematic music. Sometimes they look more like eating leftover pasta on the floor of our room while trying not to think too hard about goodbye hugs at the airport.

Why endings hit us harder than we expect

When we study abroad or go through a big life chapter, we change alongside it.

The coffee shop we always worked in. The flatmates who became family. The little route we walked to class every morning. Even the supermarket where we finally figured out where they keep the oat milk. These things quietly become part of our everyday comfort.

So when that chapter ends, it’s not just the experience we’re leaving behind. It’s also the version of ourselves we became during it.

And that can bring up a whole mix of emotions at once.

Excitement. Relief. Sadness. Anxiety. Pride. Grief. Confusion. Sometimes all before breakfast.

Emotional stability? Never heard of her.

Not perfectly, just gently. Here are a few things that can help when life feels a bit emotionally chaotic at the end of a big chapter.

Let ourselves feel sad about it

We don’t need to minimise an ending just because it was “only a semester” or “just a few months”. If something mattered to us, then it mattered.

Missing people, routines or places isn’t dramatic – it’s a sign that the experience meant something.

Don’t rush to “move on”

There’s often pressure to instantly jump into the next thing. The next job. The next plan. The next version of ourselves. But sometimes we need a minute.

A bit of space to process what just happened before racing ahead.

Keep the connections that matter

Not every friendship will survive time zones and busy schedules. That’s normal.

But some will.

Send the message. Make the call. Share the photo dump nobody asked for. Relationships don’t have to disappear just because the experience ended.

Remember that routines can be rebuilt

One of the hardest parts of endings is losing structure.

Suddenly we’re back home with no routine, no familiar faces around us and no idea what day it is anymore. Building small routines again, even really basic ones, can help us feel more grounded. A morning walk. Going to the gym. Calling a friend every Sunday. Tiny things count.

Stop expecting ourselves to have it all figured out

Big endings often come with big questions.

“What now?”

Cool, casual. No pressure at all. Truthfully, most people don’t fully know what they’re doing next. They’re just figuring it out as they go, usually whilst pretending to be way more organised than they actually are.

It’s okay if we’re still working things out too.

Endings are proof that something happened

That we showed up somewhere new. That we connected with people. That we grew.

That we built a life, even temporarily, that became meaningful enough to miss.

And whilst endings can feel uncomfortable, they also make space for whatever comes next, even if we can’t quite see it yet.

So if we’re feeling emotional, unsettled or a bit all over the place as something comes to an end, we’re probably not doing it wrong.

We’re probably just human and honestly, that’s totally okay.

So, let’s put our minds in a hammock and look back at the journey.