The Marshall School of Journalism, and countless other schools within the UA, send hundreds of students overseas every semester to study abroad. Studying in a different country is vital for a growing college student. It allows one to get a feel for what it’s like to truly be on your own, and push the bounds of your comfort zone. You are able to see how people live, communicate, etc. Studying and living in another country forces college students to expand their cultural knowledge by exploring and being curious. With the right open mindset, studying abroad will help students become more ambitious and driven to pursue career paths that maximize their happiness.
For four decades the Global Exchange Program at the UA has created an establishment for students to travel to a foreign country and study for a semester of their choosing. One of the most important things that the Global Relations program provides is the ability for any student to study abroad. It may come as a surprise, but the cost of studying abroad in a foreign country is similarly priced to the tuition you would pay during a semester at the University of Arizona. Because of this, a large portion of students are given the opportunity to study abroad, immersing themselves in a completely different culture.
“The most important thing I learned abroad was to embrace being uncomfortable. Making sure that I always made safe and educated decisions, pushing myself to try new things and not settle for a comfort zone was the most impactful take-aways from my study abroad experience,” Alyssa Greene, a Junior at the UA said. Not only has studying abroad helped Greene adjust easily in uncomfortable situations, but she also admitted that it helped her fight stereotypes and preconceived notions she had made before going to the country. “I tried to avoid tourist attractions and immerse myself in the new countries I was traveling to by getting off the beaten track and talking to locals who could give me a true feel for a unique European culture,” Greene explained. She learned to be accepting and understanding of a different culture and its norms.