When I anxiously opened my email after applying to FSU, I was shocked to discover that my acceptance decision was deferred. To say that this made me nervous is an understatement. I wasn’t sure if I would get accepted after idealizing FSU as where I wanted to go to college for so long. After several excruciating weeks of waiting, I was finally accepted to FSU through the Seminole Pathways Program. Here are five reasons you should study abroad, from someone who spent her first semester at FSU Florence.
- Meet new people
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Honestly, the main thing I was nervous about was making friends, which I’ve come to discover was a fear more common than I thought. I didn’t know anyone going into the program, but I had already made new friends by the first day! When I thought about it, I realized that everyone was in the same boat. We were all dropped right into the center of a new city and new culture and were all looking to make new connections that would last a lifetime!
I’m still friends with the people I met during the first few days of the program, and I know that we’ll be friends for years to come! We traveled together, laughed together, learned together, and lived together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
- Experience New Places and Cultures
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Studying abroad gives you a whole new world to explore. While experiencing the wonderful city of Florence, Italy, I was able to travel quite often. I went to various cities and towns around Italy, including Venice, Milan, and Cinque Terre, to name a few. I also was able to travel to other countries, including Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Visiting and exploring these new places with my new friends was an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I was able to learn about and immerse myself in new cultures, try new things, and new food, and see new places. For instance, in Versailles, France, my friend and I tried duck! In Venice, I tried a cannoli for the first time, and now, every cannoli I have eaten since will never compare.
- Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
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Choosing to study abroad is a big decision. As I said before, I was accepted to FSU through the Seminole Pathways program, and for most people, going to community college for a semester or more is the best route. However, my parents encouraged me to study abroad, and now, I don’t know how I ever doubted them.
Studying abroad required me to take a big step out of my comfort zone. I didn’t know any Italian, I didn’t know anyone, and I also didn’t know much about the city of Florence at all. However, after a short amount of time, I was learning basic Italian (even though many Italians speak English as well), I was making new friends, and I was learning all about the beautiful city I was living in. I wouldn’t have had my first semester any other way.
- Learn Something New About Yourself
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While I was abroad, I kept a journal, which I’d recommend to everyone regardless of studying abroad. I’d walk to a nearby park and write about my day, my weekend, or my most recent trip. I also even took a few day trips by myself. Eventually, I realized that I enjoyed being alone. Sure, I loved to go out with my friends as much as anyone else, but spending time alone in a new city or country is something quite special. Of course, you can’t do this everywhere, especially for safety reasons, but I took advantage of it when I could. I enjoyed taking a train to a new city and exploring a new place by myself. I loved walking around Florence alone and taking myself on brunch, study, and journal dates. It was fun to take a break from the noise and find peace in solitude. I highly recommend it.
- Make Memories that Will Last Forever
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Studying abroad is a unique experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. The places I visited, the art I saw, the food I ate, the photos that I took, and the memories that I made will last a lifetime. From getting dinner and walking to the FSU Florence soccer games with my friends, to visiting museums and churches with my classmates, to exploring new places with my family when they visited, these are experiences that I hold close to my heart and will continue to do so for many years to come. I recommend studying abroad to anyone who is even slightly interested in it. It’s the experience of a lifetime.
For most people, the obvious choice would be to go the community college route, as many do. However, another option was available: spending my first semester at FSU abroad. I wasn’t sure about it, but my parents encouraged it, and now that I have experienced this, I can’t imagine not having studied abroad during my first semester at FSU Florence.
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