In the fall of 2025, I made the best decision of my life — studying abroad. Was the idea of traveling solo to a foreign country for several months incredibly scary? Yes. But as someone who did exactly that, I can say without a doubt that it fundamentally changed my life and allowed me to grow in ways I didn’t think were possible. Here’s why I think spending time abroad during your college years is one of the best things you could ever do.
The Opportunity Itself
I always knew I wanted to study abroad, so, when I was initially applying to college, I specifically looked at the programs offered by different schools. Once at the University of Florida, my aspirations of going abroad faded somewhat as I got more involved and began figuring out my major. By the time junior year rolled around, the urge to go abroad re-emerged, stronger than ever. After a few meetings and lots of online research, I decided I would spend the first semester of my senior year studying at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. However, I did have some concerns at first. I was terrified by not only the idea of going to a new school and country where I knew absolutely no one, but also about missing out on everything back at UF while I was abroad. Nonetheless, I pushed forward with my plans, and before I knew it, I was boarding a plane across the Atlantic to start the most incredible journey. I mean, how often in life do you get a chance to just pick up and move abroad for a few months? Life’s too short to live with regrets, and I knew I’d forever look back on my college experience and wonder “what if?” if I didn’t take the leap and go abroad. Now, I can say with confidence that it was the best thing I ever could’ve done.
Personal Growth
Perhaps the biggest reason to go abroad is for your own personal growth. My dad has always told me that “growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.” As much as I hate to admit it, he is 100% right. It would’ve been easy for me to stay at UF, in the place I knew with the people I was familiar with. Sometimes, just thinking about doing something that diverts from the status quo isn’t easy, and actually following through with that decision is even more difficult. I won’t lie, parts of studying abroad were difficult. But again, growth doesn’t happen where we are comfortable. It was only by putting myself in an entirely unfamiliar environment that I grew as a person, learning lessons about myself and the world around me that have shaped me into the person I am today. I learned adaptability through navigating public transit systems in foreign languages on long travel days. I gained independence and a sense of heightened self-confidence, as doing something as huge as studying abroad solo helped me to realize I was indeed capable of being a fully-functional adult. What’s more, I learned how to be okay with myself and comfortable in my own skin.
One of the biggest lessons I took away from my experience is that you’ve got to do what makes you happy in life. The only person you can control in life is yourself. No matter how hard you try, there’s nothing you can do to change people’s perceptions of you. While that’s scary, it’s also freeing! People are often so wrapped up in their own lives that they don’t pay any attention to the things you might worry about. I was so nervous to travel on the weekends by myself, to visit museums alone or to even have solo meals at restaurants. I was worried everyone around me would stare and judge, thinking I had no friends or that I was some loner. But the truth is, no one really cares! We’re all just trying our best to get through the day. Once I got over this fear, it seemed like the world had opened up in front of me, teeming with new possibilities. Life is too short and the world is too wide to spend a second not doing what makes you happy. And so what if people judge? If you’re happy and fulfilled, there’s nothing anyone can do to take that away from you. I know it may seem easier said than done, but as someone who’s done it, I can assure you that the world won’t end if you venture outside of your comfort zone. In fact, you just might end up a better person because of it.
Global Experience
The global experience of studying abroad is what draws many people in, and for good reason. The chance to experience education through a new lens is reason enough to go abroad, as it gives you a different perspective not just on education itself, but also on the specific subjects you’re studying as well. This added perspective can help you better understand different nuances and subtleties of various subjects and gain a greater appreciation for different educational approaches and styles. Education isn’t limited to just the classroom, though. When you’re abroad, there are many lessons to be learned through exploring and experiencing the world around you. Travelling gives you a certain appreciation for the interconnectedness of the world, but living abroad gives you a newfound appreciation for just how vast our world is. For me, visiting new countries and immersing myself in my home country broadened my horizons and expanded my worldview. It allowed me to consider things in a new light and recognize just how limited my previous sheltered American worldview was. While I might’ve missed ice water and air conditioning at times, exposure to the different ways of life and traditions of countries other than America allowed me to realize some incredible things I was missing out on. This made me more well-rounded, experienced and capable than before.
Learning
It goes without saying that an experience abroad is an incredible learning opportunity, but I didn’t realize just how much I would learn about various things during my semester in Ireland. I never could’ve foreseen how much my travels would inspire me through exposure to art, history and languages. During my time abroad, I was fortunate enough to visit 15 different countries on the weekends, exposing myself to many different cultures, foods and sights. Through visiting museums, experiencing cultural traditions and trying new foods, I learned multitudes about the world around me. Some of these experiences inspired new passions of mine, reinvigorating my desire to learn endlessly about various subjects and fall down rabbit holes of knowledge. Talking to different people in my classes or striking up a conversation with a waiter exposed me to the life stories of folks from all walks of life, allowing me to confront the limits of my own life experience and appreciate the universal idiosyncrasies of life that transcend language and geographic barriers. If the experiential learning aspect of going abroad isn’t enough to convince you, an international education looks pretty great on a resume too.
Unforgettable Experience
Going abroad is an utterly unforgettable experience that will endow you with an abundance of memories you’ll cherish as you grow older. My time abroad allowed me to make some of the most incredible memories and form friendships around the globe. There are simply no words to describe how extraordinary my time abroad was, and I know I’ll look back on it fondly for the rest of my days, reminiscing on the perfect moments and unbelievable times I had.
If I had stayed at my home university, in my comfort zone, with all of my friends, I never would’ve grown as a person, become more comfortable in my own skin or created so many incredible memories (like going to Portugal for the day, getting lost in the Vatican or visiting three countries in 24 hours, to name a few). The experiences I had while abroad fundamentally shaped me into the person I am today, providing me with some of the greatest memories of my life. I can say, without a doubt, that choosing to go abroad was the best decision I could’ve ever made. It can be the same for you too! If you’ve been looking for a sign to study abroad, this is it. I promise you won’t regret it.