Not everyone has the opportunity to study abroad while they're in college, but if the opportunity does present itself to you, take advantage of it. Not taking advantage of this opportunity is what so many graduates come to regret, and it's no wonder why. Studying abroad, whether its for a semester or over the summer, will benefit you greatly in all different ways. I urge you to study abroad and have the best time of your life.
Here's why:
1. It forces you out of your comfort zone
Studying abroad allows you to immerse yourself into a whole new culture. No matter where you choose to study abroad, you're going to be surrounded by new people, food, ways of life, and maybe even a new language. Take advantage of this and learn how to thrive in a place that is completely different for you. This will teach you how to conquer being out of your comfort zone.
2. There's no better time to travel the world
Choosing to study abroad while in you're college in great for all different reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is that it gives you four months to travel. Once you graduate and land a job, it's going to be hard to get enough vacation days to go somewhere far enough and for a long enough time period. You might get lucky and be able to work abroad, but that usually comes after a few years working for a company or a lot of time and effort to find a job abroad right out of college. Studying abroad for a semester or over the summer in college gives you the chance to travel to different countries/cities every weekend while continuing your education during the week.
3. It will give you new perspectives
Living in a host city for a few months is going to give you a new perspective on things. Every new culture provides new learning experiences. You'll observe the surrounding culture every day and see how the people around you live and interact. It's important to remember that the ways people do things aren't weird, they're just different. These differences between your culture and theirs will show you that there are different views on what is perceived as "normal" and it doesn't mean that one is more correct than the other. Understanding this is very important when traveling to foreign cities and countries.
4. You'll grow as a person
Anyone that spends time abroad will tell you that it was a life-changing experience. This could mean a lot of different things depending on the person, but what is the same throughout every person that goes abroad is that they grow as a person. You'll learn new things about yourself, you'll fall in love with different cities, try things you never thought you'd do (for example, eat a fish eye in Croatia) and experience new people and cultures. You'll become more independent, resourceful, and observant from your time abroad.
5. There will always be a home away from home for you
Studying abroad will be the best semester of your college career, and arguably the best four months of your life. You'll have memories from so many different places and will get to meet people from all over the world. It will teach you how big the world is and how there are always new things to learn and places to see. After living in another host city for four months, you'll create a bond with that city and it will always hold a place in your heart. Leaving it will be one your hardest goodbyes, but you'll grow to have a thirst for more adventure and to explore more of our world.
