One of the biggest and most life-changing opportunities presented to college students is the chance to spend a semester abroad. There are so many advantages to going abroad for a semester; though some students make the choice to go abroad simply to get out of the country, there is so much that goes into the decision to go abroad. Leaving the comfort of the country you have grown up in for the past 18+ years is big change, but one that comes with so many incredible opportunities, experiences and things to learn.
To learn. The reason all students make the decision to continue in their education after graduating high school is to go to college and keep learning. While the motivation behind this decision can vary from student to student, it is essentially true for everyone that we have an innate desire to learn as much as we can. Beyond the classes that students will take in a foreign country, the orthodox way of learning, students will learn invaluable lessons along the way. Students will indulge in a new and unfamiliar culture, meet new people who have lived an entirely different life than they have, and learn to live a different way of life. They will learn how to get along in an entirely different world and forge their own path on a different side of the earth. The pattern of learning which students are exposed to when going abroad is a lesson that cannot be planned or taught; this being of the most unique and useful experiences we, as developing, young adults can have.
To experience. Going abroad for a semester of college is about much more than learning. At the end of it all, students most likely won’t remember a math lesson, or the proper way to conjugate a verb; what they will remember is the new experiences they made with new people. They will experience all that this new country has to offer. They will experience the personalities of new people, they will experience what it means to find people you relate to and enjoy spending time with them. They will experience the world of travel and how different one place is from another. They will experience the physical variations on this incredible earth we inhabit. They will experience late nights, deep in studies and deep in bottles. They will learn how to overcome adversity in a foreign territory and grow from every experience. The unknown of what lies ahead in their travels and their new experiences is what drives students to make this life-changing decision.
To explore. Developing adults, especially students, are of the most curious people on Earth. Our natural longing for exploration cannot be paralleled. This opportunity to study abroad, to travel to a new place, meet new people and make new memories, that is a way for us to fulfill our deepest desires to explore. To leave where we feel most comfortable and move full force into what appears to be a completely new world. To feel as though we have complete control over our new path and make this foreign place our new home.
To study abroad is a unique and incredible experience that I think students should take always take advantage of if they are able to do so. Living in a new place for a semester of college can do nothing but good for a growing students mind, body and soul. This is a unique way of finding yourself and living a curious life. Always, always take advantage of that.
