Last year I had to make a tough decision about whether or not I wanted to go abroad during the academic year. I had a lot of reasons not to: I had obligations that, if I wanted to continue, I had to be here for the full year, I wanted to add on a second major and a minor, but I was too behind in the second major to go abroad. Yet, going abroad seemed like an amazing experience, one that I did not want to miss out on. As I went back and forth, I realized there were more options than the typical ones. There is the opportunity to go during the summer, or even after college (albeit at that point you will not be studying abroad you will probably instead be working abroad, but it’ll be going abroad nonetheless). In the end, I decided to stay during the school year, go abroad over the summer, and add a double major and a minor. I am all the happier for the decision I made. If you are currently in my shoes, here are some reasons I made my decision and some reasons why I am happy that I did.
1. I was able to add to my academic load
Like I said, I was able to add a second major and a minor. I decided to take full advantage of all the academic opportunities that Kenyon has offered to me. I was able to explore my multiple interests and didn’t feel that a lack of time was holding me back from doing what I wanted to do. If going abroad meant not being able to widen my range of studies I couldn’t see going abroad during the school year as a possibility. If you were feeling the same way too I would talk to your advisor and talk to a potential advisor of your second major and look at if taking a second major is possible with going abroad, it if doesn’t look into other options!
2. I will be able to take classes outside my majors when I go abroad
When I applied to go abroad, I applied to study child development in Denmark during the school year. The OCS warned me that not all my credits would transfer, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to graduate in four years. On the flip side, when I go abroad during the summer I know I will be on track to graduate and I won’t need to take classes in my major. There are so many courses offered by study abroad programs that are not even close to anything Kenyon has. Going abroad, I can just focus on what I want to do and not what I feel like I have to. I would really advise going abroad during the summer if you are interested in courses that aren’t offered at Kenyon or just don’t want to have to worry about your major while abroad I’d recommend going not during the school year.
3. I am saving money
Most abroad programs are half of what a semester’s tuition cost, if that. But, Kenyon still requires us to pay full tuition while abroad. If I am paying for Kenyon’s tuition I want to be getting what I am paying for, which is the professors, the classes, Peirce, the KAC, and all of Kenyon’s other facilities. It seems silly to be spending money on something that I am not receiving and it made a lot more sense to me to go at a later time. I have heard of people un-enrolling for a semester just so that they don’t have to pay Kenyon tuition, but that seemed too complicated to me.
4. Getting to branch out!
Deciding not to go abroad helped me branch out so much. I felt pushed to do what my friends were doing and to go abroad when it felt like the majority of my friends were going abroad. This decision wouldn’t have been the best decision for me, and I am so glad I decided not to do it. Staying on campus has really allowed me to branch out and explore Kenyon more, which I have loved! Don’t let yourself feel pressured by what your friends are doing, make the decision that is best for you no matter what that decision is.
This is a big decision and one not to take lightly but remember there are always more options than you think!