I studied abroad in Spain this summer and it was an amazing experience! If you are still wondering if studying abroad is worth it, here is 9 reasons why you shouldn’t miss your opportunity to study abroad while in college.
There’s no better time. You will never be as young, as adventurous, or have less responsibilities than you do right now. Once you finish college, you will be looking for a job and starting a family. It will be hard to take time off to travel. Just jump! I promise you won’t regret it.
The experience is worth 10x what you pay. I know studying abroad is expensive and you may not have a lot of extra cash between paying for rent, food, and tuition, but the great thing about studying abroad is that you can take out a loan for it. You can worry about paying for it when you have a much higher income. Personally, from the experience I had, I would’ve paid so much more for what I got out of it.
You will meet some amazing people. I made amazing friends during my study abroad experience and they are really what made the trip so special. There are so many great people in this world that you may never meet if you don’t travel of your comfort zone.
You experience learning in a whole new way. What’s a better way to learn about a different country’s language or culture than by experiencing it? One of my classes we walked around the city learning the history of Spain and I have never taken a class like it before. It was a totally new and awesome way of learning.
Looks great on a resume. Who wouldn’t want to hire someone that loves to step outside of their comfort zone, meet new people, and that has a lot of different experiences to bring to the table? Who knows, you may love the country so much that you may decide to pursue a job there.
Find new interests. Since you will be experiencing a new culture, you will also be taking part in their way of life such as what they do for fun. You may find a passion for dancing, wine tasting, water sports, hiking, and many more. The one interest I can guarantee you will find, will be traveling.
Learning about a new way of life. I found it very eye opening to experience life in a different country. It can really make you have compassion for others and the world could always use more compassion. It can also stop you from taking for granted what you have and learn about your own privileges in a way you couldn’t at home.
Learn a new language. If you really want to challenge yourself and step totally out of your comfort zone you could travel to a country that speaks a different language than you. Being immersed in the language makes it much easier to pick up and would also look great on a resume.
You get to see the world. Maybe you have never been to the ocean, hiked through the mountains, or seen an ancient historical place. Seeing and experiencing these amazing places the world has to offer is one of the best reasons why to book your ticket now. I promise you will have the time of your life. I know I did!
Here are some pictures from my study abroad. Enjoy!