Most people have greeted and know the upsides of studying abroad, but for whatever reason, they don’t feel the urgency to study elsewhere during college. I can see why! Once you form a tight circle of friends, you want to stay at school to make a myriad of memories while everyone lives within a three mile radius. Once you get settled and comfortable, your same, old routine begins to sparkle a little when you think about having to start from scratch in a foreign country. Spain and Germany aren’t going to pick up and move anytime soon! They’ll be there after graduation.
Well, here are two simple reasons why you may want to consider studying abroad now!
- The LEISURE TIME Factor
I studied abroad in Vietnam and Singapore in the summer of 2010, and it was not nearly long enough! When I returned to Texas, I had a hole shaped like Southeast Asia in my life, and I wished I’d spent at least a full semester abroad. Once we join the workforce, we (for the most part) won’t have the luxury of taking six months off at a time! It takes more than two weeks to a month to fully absorb a foreign culture and all it has to offer.
- The AGE Factor
There’s no time like college! As a student, you’re old enough to do what you want, but at the same time, you don’t need to worry too much about debt, job security, caring for your family. the list goes on. As a student abroad, you can attend classes with both native students and fellow study abroaders. You can easily meet people who are more or less in the same chapter of their lives and enjoy exploring the country (and even the continent) together!
Now, it can be overwhelming searching for the right city and the right program for you. There are definitely folks who readily acknowledge the two points above and sense the urgency to study abroad… only to drop it when they think about applying for programs that may not even be a good fit. This is where Abroad 101 flings wide your study abroad doors. It’s the Yelp of study abroad programs, if you will, and the service does much of the research work for you. Their website is complete with rankings and a matchmaker tool that can help you find both the right city and the right place. You can even read the testimonials of people who’ve participated in the various programs!
Speaking of which, testimonials don’t write themselves! If you’ve studied abroad before, consider writing a review of your program on Abroad 101. If you thoroughly enjoyed your experience abroad, share that joy with others. Who knows? Your review may be just the thing someone needs to nudge him or her off the fence.