It seems like you just finished arranging your dorm room and settling into your college routine. You’ve finally reconnected with your roomies and started those classes that you painstakingly selected last semester. It might physically hurt to consider taking down your shiny new posters and lugging your 300-pound mini-fridge back out to the car. You’re set, settled, locked-and-loaded. But one thing missing from the quintessential college experience is that semester abroad, and the application process is right around the corner. Sure, the frat parties and late nights in the library are things you’ll look back on fondly, but there’s no replacement for total, mind-blowing adventure.
Getting accepted into a study abroad program is just as exciting as getting into college, and the several months that you spend abroad are equally as rewarding. It's official then, and you're given the go to start celebrating and looking for luggage on Amazon.
Study abroad can be especially helpful to those who are constantly itching for some variety in their learning process. Classes provide the textbook information and work habits needed to succeed beyond college, but studying abroad will truly grant you the real world knowledge, global view and interpersonal skills that will make you stand out in the job world. There's nothing more real world than literally flying out into the heart of Europe, Asia, Africa et cetera and learning to hold your own in a new environment.
The benefits of study abroad go beyond the professional sphere. Along the way, you'll meet people from colleges all over the country. The men and women in your program will be your lifeline, and you will likely grow close to at least a few of them. After mingling on campus, spending a few nights pub-crawling and joining in on college Eurotrips, you'll encounter so many different types of people in situations that you're completely unfamiliar with. Using your French 101 skills to get directions to the Eiffel Tower? It could very well happen, and by the last month of your travels, it'll be a breeze.
By the time you return to your home university, you'll have friends from all over America, and hopefully all over the world. Ultimately, after studying abroad, you will have a better grasp on how to connect with people, even those you think you have nothing in common with.
If you're interested in seeing the world, learning about other cultures and stepping out of your comfort zone, then here is your pep talk. The time is now. Today’s the day. As Nike coined, Just Do It.
Info sessions? Harmless. Applications? Easy. Packing your suitcase? Well, I won’t lie to you about that. All said and done though, studying abroad is an incredible, life-changing experience, and one you'll remember for your whole life. Whatever country you pick, whichever city or town you choose, will bring several months of intense inquiry, introspection, and, most importantly, fun. For most people, there will be no other opportunity to travel like the one given to college students; when considering post-graduation bills, careers and relationships, many people are unable to travel four to six months out of the year. Don't let college fly by without taking full advantage of your university's study abroad programs. Once you've landed in your host country, met your lovely fellow travelers and figured out how to plug in all of your electronics, you'll know you could never regret your decision to go abroad.
