It’s that time of year again when everyone starts thinking about the possibility of going abroad. For some, going abroad is a no-brainer; however, for most people, there can be hesitation, fear, or anxiety that comes with making the decision. When deciding if I was going abroad, I experienced both of those emotional phases. I went into my sophomore year knowing that I was going to be studying abroad, and even though none of my friends would be going abroad with me, or abroad in general, I was set on going. I was excited and confident in my decision to go, but as I got closer to leaving, the doubt, fear, and anxiety started to kick in. Don’t get me wrong, I was still excited, but I also started to question if my experience abroad would be like that of everyone else who had raved about their time away. I started to think that maybe I hadn’t thought it through enough before committing, and that my entire support network would be an ocean away. If any of this sounds like how you might be feeling, or if you’re debating whether or not going abroad is for you, I’m here to say that it is completely worth it.
There are a lot of amazing things about going abroad. One of the main reasons is to travel, and while you are still taking classes, the purpose of going is more to explore and less about what readings you have to do by Monday. There is freedom and ease that comes as a result of that, which I feel would be hard to come by at any other point in your life. Traveling so much in such a short period of time teaches you things about yourself that you might never have expected, and it shows you how important it is to get out of your comfort zone.Â
While traveling and meeting new people was amazing and one of the best parts of my experience abroad, I think the most changing aspect was how it pushes you to be okay with being alone and being yourself. I think this was especially the case for me because I didn’t have any of my friends with me (shout out to the other Cork girls who were there with me though!), so I had to get comfortable with doing my own thing more and it provided me with the opportunity to grow and figure out who I am. Maybe you wouldn’t say that it’s life-changing; however, I would argue that it is. Coming back from abroad, I had grown into myself more, developed a stronger backbone, knew how to say no, and became confident in doing my own thing even if no one else wanted to join in and do it. To me, that growth impacts almost every part of my life and, as a result, is life-changing. So, if you were to ask me if going abroad is worth it, my answer will always be yes. No matter the circumstances, if you are going with your friends or by yourself, or are feeling nervous about being away from home, the experience will be one that greatly impacts your life in (hopefully) the best possible way.