I had the privilege of being able to study abroad in the spring semester of 2022 and as summer programs start accepting applications, and many other college students are deciding to take the leap or not, here are eight reasons why you should go for it!
For a (very) brief summary of my experience, I studied at a campus my university has in Rome, Italy called the “John Felice Rome Center” which made my credits easy to transfer and I was able to go with a majority of my fellow classmates. This isn’t the “traditional” way to study abroad but these reasons can apply for whichever path or country you want to go to!
(1) Career Opportunities
This is a case-by-case scenario but if you are looking for, or even just considering a job overseas, studying abroad can be a great way to get an internship or get experience in a country you want to move to. Even if you don’t do any networking while over there or want to stay in the United States after college, putting “Study Abroad” on your resume is a great conversation starter and many companies want the qualities you can gain from the study abroad experience.
(2) Grow An Appreciation for Home
Not everyone will experience this, but I’ve found that most of the people I know (myself included) that studied abroad found a newfound love and appreciation for their home country/state and for their family. Personally, living 4,000+ miles away from home made me appreciate the time I spent there and the moments I was missing more. This doesn’t mean you’ll wish you never studied abroad – it just puts things into perspective. You’re going to miss home, even if you don’t want to admit it but while you are learning that you shouldn’t take family time for granted, you are falling in love with a new home. This is a feeling you can only feel while studying abroad.
(3) Taking Classes You Can’t In The United States
Whether you study abroad in Italy, London, or Vietnam – wherever you find yourself, you are going to have the opportunity to take classes that either aren’t offered in the United States or you’ll have more resources than if you did it at your home based college. For example, I studied abroad in Rome, Italy and I took an art and history class that had on-sites. I was learning about Baroque art while staring at the original art piece or talking about the events that happened at the Roman Forum while standing amidst the ruins. I also was beyond fortunate to have gotten into a Food & Wine class where I visited a vineyard and learned about Italian culture through food. I would have never gotten to experience these classes in Chicago.
(4) Challenge Yourself
This is most likely the most obvious one. It is not a secret that moving to another country even if it’s “only” for five months is going to be a challenge. You are most definitely going to experience things that you could only go through if you study abroad and although some of them will be draining or stressful, it’s going to be all worth it in the end. You will have global experiences and personal development that you can’t get any other way. You will gain a new sense of independence and I won’t lie, it isn’t going to be easy but by putting yourself out there and taking the crazy ups and downs of living abroad, you are preparing yourself for an amazing future! Besides, the stories of the most stressful times while studying abroad are my friends’ favorite ones to retell.
(5) You Can Meet Your Besties (Or Future Boo ;))
Who doesn’t want a boyfriend or girlfriend from London? Just me? Okay well, either way, you are going to meet some pretty remarkable people when you study abroad. Whether it be from the university you are studying at or in the communal room at a hostel in Austria. The people you meet traveling are bound to be the best because you have so many walks of life in one room. Personally, I met some amazing people who went to my university in the United States and now they are some of my best friends. When you are spending 24/7 together from classes to weekend travels, it’s hard to not fall in love with spending life with them.
(6) The Delicious (Genuine) Food
No matter what country you go to, the food there is going to be amazing. Something I loved about Italy was that I never got tired of pasta and gelato because they made it perfectly. It was genuine, and the ingredients? Chef’s Kiss. Genuine Italian food is made without the nasty preservatives from the United States so you can actually feel good internally after eating it. I was (lowkey) diagnosed with gluten and lactose intolerant a few days before I left for Italy. I was freaking out but after some research and many chats with professionals, they assured me that I might be alright because the way gluten and lactose is handled in Italy is better than in the States. They were correct. I was eating carbs galore and gelato every night and I never once felt sick or bloated. Besides all that health stuff, the delicious food made in the actual country it’s from? AMAZING.
(7) Seeing The World On A Budget
If you want to cross off items on your bucket list for a cheaper cost, studying abroad is the way to go. You have the weekends to do whatever you want so it’s the perfect time to travel throughout the country you are living in or around Europe. Plane ticket prices are cheaper when you’re traveling only one country or even three countries away rather than if you were leaving from the United States. I visited countries like Ireland, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and many more for less than $200 a ticket and honestly, most of the tickets were under $100 if you were willing to take only one bag and book it with a cheap airline like Ryanair or Vueling. Once you are in the countries, you can find hotels for cheap and sometimes, AirBnbs are even cheaper so it’s doable to see so many amazing places.
(8) Learn A New Language
Even if you study abroad in London or Ireland, you are going to learn so many new languages while you spend weekends in new countries, or even pick up a slight accent or slang from the United Kingdom. Learning a new language is extremely rewarding and if you are already studying a language before going over, practicing it in person makes you ten times better. You’re going to be surrounded by locals so you’ll master it in no time, sometimes without even trying.
I could make an entire documentary on why you should study abroad and I’ve already said my piece on other platforms but if I hadn’t studied abroad, my college experience would have gone in a totally different direction and I wouldn’t be considering the career I am today. I got to visit 16 cities in total (including 10 different countries) and had so many laughs with some amazing people.
So, if you take any advice from a complete stranger…
DO IT.