I can successfully say that I achieved all of my goals and more! The goals I set for myself was that I would manage my time more efficiently, be more adventurous, and keep a positive attitude. However, I feel as though I reached other goals such as gaining independence and growing up.

In term of my time, in the beginning of the trip I would find myself using my breaks to check into social media or talk with friends. Although it is important to leave time for this, I learned that I need to use my breaks to finish homework or study for tests, in order to not feel pressured to do it late at night. This also allowed me time to explore Hod Hasharon and campus and have time later to have relax to enjoy my surroundings. I think that I will be able to take what I have learned here and have skills when I return home to effectively spend my time and not to procrastinate.

Also, I set the goal for myself that I wanted to be more adventurous and I am happy to say that I feels though I achieved that goal. I talked to new people which is such a good experience and in that process made such great new friends. I tried new foods; such as food from Druze and Bedouin culture. Along with this, I overall feel as though I pushed myself out of my comfort zone which allowed me to further enjoy my time here.

My positive attitude is something that I am going to continue to work towards even after MUSS. As hard as I would try, there is no way to be positive after a long hard hike up Masada, when I all want to do is shower. I have, though, been able to see the positive side of situations and improved my outlook on experiences.  

However, along with all of my goals I set, I feel as though I achieve some goals I did not even think about. To begin, I knew that living apart from my parents would force me to gain independence, even though I felt as though I was already very independant to begin with. Keeping track of my own laundry, my hygiene, my budget; these were all things that suddenly had relevance in my life, and things that I found I had to handle myself. It became very important to me to make sure I was taking care of myself and keeping myself healthy.

I also realized that I gained a connection to the land of Israel. Many of the sites we visited would have had no significant to me, however, after learning about the history and my roots behind the sites, the land gained a whole new dimension. I love Israel and I know that I am going to be back in the future. I am extremely sad that this incredible experience is coming to an end, but I have learned so much about the country and myself, and it is safe to say that I love it here!!