Studying abroad is highly recommended at Winthrop as part of its Global Learning Initiative. Going outside of the country and experiencing a new culture changes you and makes you grow as a person. You have to get out of your comfort zone. You have to meet new people, see beautiful new scenes, learn some different languages. This makes you unique and helps you become a more well-rounded person.
Last spring, from February until the end of June, I studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia and it was the most amazing experience in my life. The semester across the globe changed my life for the better, so I encourage all of you to go ahead and to it! But when I got back to Rock Hill, it was a bit of an adjustment. I was so used to the Australian lifestyle that I completely forgot what life was like here in South Carolina. There are some things to be aware of when you return to Winthrop.
You actually have to do school work againAlthough “studying abroad” means you should be studying while in a foreign country, it is a given that you won’t spend as much time studying as you probably should. The classes only transfer as pass/fail, so when the time comes to choose between studying for exams and taking a quick trip to the Great Barrier Reef….the choice is quite simple.
You must eat like a college student againGone are the days of the world’s best margherita pizza and hot jam donuts every weekend. Instead, you are confined to the meal plan that forces you to eat in Thomson or DiG’s, and whatever snacks are stowed in your mini fridge. This might actually be the worst part of returning home from study abroad.
The term “broke college student” doesn’t even begin to describe your lifeChances are you probably saved up every single penny for your trip abroad, and it was probably all gone before the halfway mark. Odds are your bank account sank faster than the Titanic because of all the traveling and sightseeing you did, and is in need of some serious help. SOS!
Going out just isn’t the sameLiving a life where going out means you get to experience the nightlife in a foreign city doesn’t quite compare to the regular frat party. The fact that you were most likely legal in every other country you visited and not the one you came back to probably doesn’t help either!
Your friends don’t really understandYou’ve already experienced the reverse culture shock of coming back home, and you’ve noticed that nothing has changed since you left. Everyone asks how it was, but you can’t ever say one thing that describes it accurately! Missing your foreign friends is normal, because they’re the only ones who know exactly how you feel.
The most important thing to remember is that you had an amazing, life-changing experience. Share with others, but do not over share. Talk about your country, but do not badmouth the United States. Be open-minded, and make the most of the rest of your time at Winthrop!