Traveling abroad may be the single best opportunity that college provides to students. I can personally attest to this. Over the summer, I was able to take a trip to Iceland through the Honors Program at USM. This was an incredible opportunity for me not only because it was my first time traveling abroad, but also because it was completely paid for by the Honors Program. This was a big draw for me during my college search process.

I’ve wanted to travel abroad for years now, both inside and out of the country. I think that my yearning to travel probably began in my childhood. My family went on many vacations together. I’ve been to Universal Studios, Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., and Disney World five times. Not to mention the trips to Maine we would make each summer when we lived in Massachusetts as well as the many day trips to Vermont, New Hampshire, and to up-state Maine. In my family, my mother has always been the one with wanderlust. My dad always enjoyed the trips we went on, but my mom always seemed to want more.

A few years ago my mom took a trip to Europe with her friend. Seeing the pictures and hearing the stories of all of her experiences only added to my desire to travel. Europe, which was always high on my list, became a top priority for me afterwards. So, when I heard that the Iceland program was being offered at USM for incoming Honors freshmen, I took the opportunity. It turned out to be the best experience I’ve had at college. The memories I made and the experiences I had will stay with me for a lifetime. The trip, and the class that went along with it, I feel fundamentally changed my view on college and on life in general. I met some great people on the trip, whom which I hope to maintain long friendships with. I feel that the class component will also help me further on in my college experience, as I had to juggle work while surrounded by the distractions of being in another country.

I hope to have more opportunities to travel abroad in my future years at college. I would recommend it to any incoming freshmen.