Should you study abroad?Â
The answer to that question is very subjective. Price, internships, and overall interest are a few main components that determine whether college students decide to participate in studying abroad.
Studying abroad is a common bucket list item for prospective college students. At least, it was for me a few years ago. Thankfully, UF has one of the most well-run international centers and study abroad programs, which means it is worth it to look into studying abroad.
A big deciding factor to consider for study abroad is the time of year. Going to an SEC school, football games take over the weekends in the fall. Many people decide to study abroad in the spring semester to avoid missing out. However, if you do not care about football or tailgates, the fall is a quieter time for UF students to study abroad – and that might work for you. Personally, my FOMO is too strong to study abroad during the school year, so I opted to participate in a program that runs during Summer C.
As a Sport Management major, I can participate in most programs. The programs offered through my specific college were cool, but I put more emphasis on where I wanted to go rather than what my college was offering. This was great news for me last semester, because I applied for a program with the business school to study and work in Dublin, Ireland. This is a 2-for-1 deal, because I get to take business classes in Ireland, an online UF class, and work two days a week at an internship placement (a big resume boost!).
I visited Ireland after graduating high school, and have thought about it every day since. I knew immediately after that trip that I would go to Ireland if I studied abroad.Â
As someone who has yet to study abroad, I am here to empathize with anyone who is nervous, because trust me when I say that I am nervous. I think people get so wrapped up in excitement and anticipation, that they do not expect to be as nervous in the months leading up to the program. It is difficult to navigate the emotions heading into this summer, but the best ways I have planned for such a big change is by talking to people who have participated in such programs, doing my research of where I am staying and studying, and watching a LOT of TikToks.Â
I highly recommend creating an “Abroad” tab on your Notes app or making a saved folder of TikToks with information on restaurants, things to do, what to pack, and more. My current “Abroad” note on my phone consists of concerts, housing information, flight information, possible vacations and goals that I have.Â
Additionally, doing extensive research into where I am staying and the surrounding area has given me some peace of mind into what my everyday life might look like. This includes bus routes, grocery stores, local pubs, etc.Â
In the rest of Europe, countries are comparable in size to an average US state, so it is really easy to travel back and forth. Ireland is about the size of Indiana, so I am looking forward to planning trips around the country on weekends, and hopefully expanding out to countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, two of my bucket list locations. Ireland is not a part of the United Kingdom (thank the Irish Revolution for that!), so they abide by the currency of the European Union (EU). This makes my life so much easier! Also, with credit cards, I just have to tap my existing card to pay for things. Which is much more convenient, but also much more dangerous for my bank account.Â
I already know that this experience is going to be life-changing. That is why, before I even leave, I recommend doing such a program to anyone reading this. To answer the original question, YES you should absolutely study abroad, or at least look into it! Maybe a program will stick out to you, or maybe you’ll go on vacation somewhere and think, “I need to live there.” But I urge anyone to consider taking this leap and challenging yourself in the most fun way possible.Â
All of this planning definitely comes off very Type-A, understandably so, but it has genuinely made this preparation feel less daunting. I leave in a little under two months, and I am already mourning the end of the program. I have waited for an experience like this my entire life, and I am so excited to embark on this journey.