Studying abroad was the best time of my life. Having been back from London for over two months now, I cannot help but to get excited every time a memory comes back to mind. I miss my adventures and home away from home terribly everyday, but I enjoy reminiscing at my abroad photos that are hanging above my bed every time I walk into my room. Looking back on my experience, I hope that everyone will take the risk to go abroad for a semester. There are so many reasons why, as a colliegette, you should not miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.
1. Trying different foods without any regrets.You have the chance to travel to many different countries while abroad and the best part about embracing new cultures is, of course, the food. Whether it’s pizza in Italy or crepes in Paris this is the one time of your life when you will have no regrets indulging in as many carbs as you can. Bring on the stretchy pants!
2. Meeting new people.While abroad, I was able to meet so many new people. Now the girls I call my best friends are the ones I travelled with throughout my semester. I was also able to meet people from all different parts of the world who I still keep in touch with. Plus, I have places to stay in any part of the world that I wish to travel to (well, most of them anyway.)
3. Traveling.The best part about abroad is the traveling. I was able to explore six different countries and twelve different cities. Every weekend you have the chance to jet off to a new place. Traveling abroad is both affordable and convenient. You quickly learn the tricks of traveling and how to travel simply. To name just one perk of my many adventures? All of the amazing photos that I get to look back on every day.
4. Falling in love.Whether it is with the city you are studying in or with someone you are dating, you have the chance to see what it really means to be in love. Being abroad you see a whole new aspect of love. There is something about the accents of the British men and their charm. The dating scene abroad is something out of straight out of a movie.
5. One chance to be fearless.You only study abroad once, right? While studying abroad you have to be fearless and up for anything. You never have to stick to a plan and the best part is being spontaneous. One minute you could be sitting in your apartment typing up a paper and the next you are at a pub with friends enjoying the nightlife scene in your foreign country. Also a quick day trip to Paris could happen in seconds!
6. Experiencing other cultures.Living in a different country for four months you adopt new traditions. It might be a new habit of sitting down for tea every afternoon or having a glass of wine with every meal, you get to be a new you for a few months. Abroad you feel like you are living in a storybook. You will learn to appreciate your own culture and will now get to bring new traditions with you for the rest of your life.
7. Adding it to your resume.I absolutely love the fact that on my resume it says that I attended a university in a different country. Potential employers love to see that you spent time abroad and it stands out in when applying for internships. If you’re lucky to work for a global company you may have to chance to go back abroad for work!
8. Becoming independent.While abroad you gain independence. You teach yourself how navigate around an unfamiliar place and you begin to appreciate everything you are offered in life. Time away from home shows you how important it is to gain experience, follow your dreams and aim for success. You gain the confidence of knowing that you can do anything you put your mind to.
9. It is a once in a life time experience.When else will you be able to jet off and live someone foreign for a few months? Chances are slim. As a junior in college, you have few large responsibilities in life and do not have a job that you need to report to everyday, so why not take your studies to a new campus? This is the only time in your life where it is acceptable to spend all your life savings on travels, food and shopping.
10. Finding who you truly are.Travel not to find yourself but to remember who you’ve been all along. That truly sums up the experience of being abroad for a semester; you learn to be only you.