Studying abroad is by far one of the best things you can do in college. I got the privilege to spend a semester at the University of Limerick in Ireland, and I have to say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. It changed me and made me a better person. There are many, many things that I wish I had known before I went. So I think that it is only fitting that, with help from some of my friends who participated in study abroad, I give you some advice before you leave.
Prioritize your trips. - Cecilia H., McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, traveled to Limerick, Ireland in Fall 2015
My main advice would be to budget so that [you] can travel a lot if [you] want to. Also, a rule we lived by was to not ask what the food was before we ate it, we wanted to try new things and not be grossed out and judge it before we ate it. Like haggis, disgusting but delicious. - Kelly K., University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA, studied in Limerick, Ireland in Fall 2015
Purchase a SIM card, or a "burner phone" from your host country. - David B., North Central College, Illinois, USA, traveled to Limerick, Ireland in Fall 2015
Don't compare your experience to others. I spent so much time feeling like I wasn't going out as much as the other students that I didn't have time to appreciate what I WAS doing. - Carolyn C., Champlain College, Vermont, USA, traveled to Dublin, Ireland in Fall 2014
Keep in touch with family & friends back at home -- but not too much. You'll be seeing them before you know [it]. Get to know the people you go to lectures with or [who] are in the same club/ society as you. Making new friends is a must... -Giulia M., University of Malta, Malta, traveled to Limerick, Ireland in Fall 2015
Never say no to a new experience. Embrace the culture fully. Make sure if you [speak a different language than your host country] you learn at least the common phrases. Make friends from different countries, not just your own. Join in on student activities to make friends. Always smile at people; it'll make them want to know you. - Kelsea H., went to Paris, France with UMass Amherst, Massachusetts, USA, in her undergrad, Fall 2012 - Spring 2013.
A few final pieces of advice (from yours truly):
- Take pictures of everything, but don't forget to live in the moment.
- Learn as much as you can about the host country.
- Hostels are your best friend.
- Make friends with locals (You'll always have a place to stay when you come back!).
- Go on at least one trip alone.
By studying abroad, you not only learn about another country, you also learn about yourself. Being a study abroad student has allowed me to open myself to an entirely new part of the world, one that I may not have gotten to explore if not for this trip.
