Last semester I got the opportunity to study abroad in Cork, Ireland. It was an amazing experience and
something I definitely recommend to anyone who is still considering going abroad. I first decided to go
abroad my sophomore year, when I realized that most of my friends wanted to go abroad. At first I was
still nervous to apply and felt that I needed more time, but when I finally got accepted to study at UCC it
was all worth it.
Why you should study abroad:
Studying abroad is a great way to enhance your social and educational boundaries. Many of us
have grown up in the same town and culture for most our lives. Even when we do go abroad, we don’t’
always experience another culture as intensely as someone who lives there. Studying abroad is about
experiences and having fun. It’s about wanting to immerse oneself into a new world and learn
something. If you have always wanted to learn more about another country, experience their authentic
dishes or their music. Studying abroad also opens you up to meeting people from around the world. In
Ireland I was able to meet students from France, Netherlands and even Singapore. This was great
because not only did I get to learn more about the Irish Culture, I learnt a lot about other countries and
how they grew up. They also had the best advice on what places to visit when going to their home
country, and the best sightseeing spots. And if you’re in Ravenclaw like me, studying abroad is a great
way to learn about another educational system. Take a few classes you wouldn’t take back home, or try
out for a club or two. In the end you may just end up appreciating your own school system, or not.
Why you shouldn’t study abroad:
Don’t do it for the alcohol. When you’re under 21 and your birthday doesn’t fall till after
you get back to campus you can be tempted to go abroad to Europe to drink. Don’t. Yes the drinking
culture is much different, but no college is going to accept you if that is the only thing on your agenda.
Don’t expect a fairy tale romance abroad either. Yes, you may end up being lucky and have an abroad
fling, but don’t get your hopes up too high. You will be treated like a normal student at the universities
and no university lecturer is going to take sympathy on you if you turn up drunk and hung over. If
you only plan to hang out with people you already know, don’t study abroad. Studying abroad is about
making new friends and meeting new people. For me personally, meeting a group of friends who went
to school together was not only a turn off, it made it impossible for me to even get to know them. You
can lose out on valuable experiences in that way. Don’t do it if you’re going to spend your time just
studying. Yes it’s called studying abroad, and you should definitely study, but also have some fun. It’s
about finding a balance.