I was fortunate enough to study abroad twice during my time at Lynn University. In the Fall of my sophomore year, I attended the International College of Management in Sydney, Manly Beach Australia. Following this I took advantage of my school’s January Term and studied for a month at the Florence University of the Arts, in Florence, Italy. These two experiences were both very unique, but incredibly rewarding and I will forever be thankful that I embarked on these journeys.
- You Get to Learn About and Immerse Yourself in Another Culture
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When I studied abroad in Florence I took Italian classes, and my professor was in an Italian band. He took us around the city to different coffee shops and bars that he had played at. Additionally, language immersion is the best way to quickly pick up a language which is exactly what I was able to do while in Florence.
- You Will Make Friends That Will Last a Lifetime
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Yes, I know this sounds so cheesy, but it’s completely true. During my time in Australia I made friends with people from all over the world. Since my return, I have been in close contact with a lot of them and we still have an active group chat on Snapchat. I have seen several of them in person and one of my best friends from the program will even be coming to my graduation this May! Also, once travel is safe again, I will be planning a trip to Europe and staying with some of the people I became friends with.
- You May Never Get a Chance to Live in Another Country Again
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Once you graduate college and get a job, unless that job involves an opportunity to move to another country, the only chance to travel will be a vacation. So take advantage while you’re young and live in a place you may never get to go to again!
- You Will Grow as an Individual and Learn So Much About Yourself
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Many people choose to study abroad with friends and things like that, which is also great. But I signed up not knowing anyone doing the program and I ended up being the only one from my college that was there, making it a better experience. I am so glad that it worked out that way. There was a group of girls in my program that all went to the same school and they did everything together, but never really branched out, one even ended up going home early. But, in my case, I was forced to make all new friends and most people there were in the same position as me. This has led me to have friends in every corner of the globe and I feel so lucky to have that.
- You Will Make Memories to Last a Lifetime!
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In both Australia and Italy, I have so many experiences that I will absolutely never forget, and some of my happiest moments were while I was exploring those beautiful countries for the first time!
I really hope this inspires you to take the leap and study abroad. I know there are things you must consider such as cost, safety and education. But there are scholarships to help with the cost, a team of coordinators to keep you safe and great educational programs all around the world. So please, take yourself out of your comfort zone and go see what the world has to offer!