So far, college has given me some of the most memorable years of my life, and I'm only halfway through it. It's an experience unlike any other, especially because I go to school out of state. I'm hardly ever bored, and I have so much to do when I'm away at school.
Just like everyone else though, I can get tired of it pretty quickly. It's hard to keep up with assignments and tests at times, and I knew I needed a break. I wanted to find a way to not only to be more productive in school but also to have more fun and be a little less stressed out than normal.
Studying abroad is the perfect way to make school more exciting. Being in a place I had been to once before, I kind of knew what to expect. However, I had never been away from home for that long, so I didn't know how I would handle it. Long story short, it was way better than I could have expected.
During my trip, I was able to explore more than I was trapped in a classroom. I only took two classes, but they were both highly valuable to me, and they were focused on topics that would not be available to me at my college. It was honestly the perfect environment (despite the fact that there is no air conditioning in most of Europe and little to no ice).
One of the best things about studying abroad is the fact that there's less pressure. Of course, the professors still want you to do well in their classes, but it's a lot more carefree. The classes are small and tight-knit, and there are so many excursions that you forget your professor is a professor, and they become more like a friend. It's easy to talk to the other students in your classes, especially because you are all going through the same things, literally and physically.
The decision to study abroad was an easy one for me. It is something I have always known I have wanted to do, but I never thought I would actually get the opportunity to make my dream become a reality. I learned so many things about the different cultures I was surrounded by, as well as just learning more about myself in general.
Being so far from home gave me a sense of independence I could not have gotten if I hadn't gone abroad.
I strongly believe that studying abroad is worth it, and if you get the chance to, you should take it. It's less about school work and more about being on your own and finding your own way, whether it be through your career, or literally, through the country you stay in. It's a learning opportunity in more ways than one. There is so much to learn about the world around us, and studying abroad helped me see that.
