The 5 American Study Abroad Students
An introduction to the five extreme personality types of American students while studying abroad
1. The one that’s always traveling
That person who is always going off to a different destination every weekend. They often skip classes or specifically design their schedule to accommodate this. This is also the person that you’re insanely jealous of when they post all their stunning photos of them exploring the world on Facebook or Instagram. They have a ton of crazy stories about their adventures and the people they meet. You also constantly wonder if they even go to class.
· Pros:
- You get to visit a lot of different countries and take advantage of being abroad
- Having awesome pictures, memories, and experiences from many different places
· Cons:
- EXPENSIVE – even if you get cheap RyanAir or EasyJet flights, you still have to pay for transportation, food, museum tickets or souvenirs, and whatever else comes your way
- Not as much opportunity to soak in the culture of your home country
- Close to impossible to make real, close friendships with people in your home country
- Not really feeling like you have a home and just traveling in general can be exhausting and draining after a while
· Most likely to say:
- “No, I’m going to Greece next weekend, Octoberfest the weekend after, Spain the weekend after that, and then Sweden.”
- “Look what a deal I got on this really cheap RyanAir ticket to Italy next weekend!”
2. The one that parties 24/7
This is the person that is super excited that they can legally drink in their host country and resolves to take full advantage of this opportunity. Consequently, this is the person who goes out every night and doesn’t get back till around 5am. They often skip class because of hangovers.
· Pros:
- Getting an idea of the party life
- Going out with friends
· Cons:
- Not remembering most of your adventures or really most of your study abroad
- Generally you won’t do well in your studies due to the fact that you’ve become nocturnal and your focus is on partying
· Most likely to say:
- “Of course I’m going out tonight!”
3. The one that refuses to adapt to the culture around them
This is the person that is too “‘Merica” for everyone around them. To them, nothing is as great as America. Everything is different, weird, and bad and everyone and everything should change to the superior American way immediately. They will only accept American food, will always speak English and get angry when others don’t (if they are in a non-English speaking country), and will have no interest in “cultural” experiences. They are the most likely to leave their study abroad program.
· Pros:
- There is no pro.
· Cons:
- You are miserable and you make everyone around you miserable
· Most likely to say:
- “That’s so stupid! Why would *name of country* do that?”
- “In America we do it this way, because it’s the right way to do it.”
- “U-S-A! U-S-A!”
4. The one that thinks that they are super cultured now
This is the person who believes that because of their 5 or 10 months studying abroad they are now completely and utterly aware of the world and have a better understanding of it than everyone around them. When they come back to America, they expect everyone around them to crave their wisdom and knowledge. To satisfy the public, they mention their travels and experiences whenever possible in every situation.
· Pros:
- You feel like you’re super cool and superior when you get back
· Cons:
- People hate you.
· Most likely to say:
- “Oh, well when I was in *name of country,* we did it this way.”
- “I went to Oktoberfest last weekend and I just really fell in love with German culture!”
5. The one that’s studying all the time
This is the person that is constantly locked in their room or the library studying and freaking out over readings, assignments, and exams. If you are lucky enough to glimpse them, they will mostly be scurrying to or from the cafeteria or grocery store with their head in a book or nervously flipping through flashcards.
· Pros:
- You, hopefully, do well in your studies
· Cons:
- You miss out on a lot of opportunities because you want to study constantly
- It’s harder to soak in the culture when you’re stuck in your room or the library 24/7
- Close to impossible to make real, close friendships with people in your home country when you’re alone studying
· Most likely to say:
- “I can’t go, I have to study.”
So what should you do when you’re abroad?
Know your personality, what your goals are, and what you want to see come from this experience. Try to think through this before you actually land in the country so that you can plan accordingly. You can mix some of these study abroad types (and others ideas) to create an experience that fits you and achieves what is important to you. And always keep in mind that balance is key.