After I decided to study abroad for a semester in Florence, Italy I will never be the same. As a sophomore in college at Kent State, I never imagined what the world could offer me in four seemingly short months while I immersed myself in a completely new culture. The life lessons, friends, and experiences I’ve made are irreplaceable. I am now a strong believer that if you have the chance, you NEED to go abroad and see the world, particularly before your graduate. Studying abroad is different for everyone, but the experience is what you make it. Here are 8 reasons you shouldn’t hesitate to study abroad. Just make the decision to go: don’t hesitate. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
First and foremost, you immediately learn independence- you are the boss of what you do, when you do it. You don’t have your parents or other mentors with you at all times making sure you’re making the right decisions. For me, for example, it was my first time grocery shopping and learning how to budget my money without immediate guidance from my parents.
Not many people can say they’ve seen the world before they’re 20 years old. I laughed, cried, ate, drank, and talked my way around Europe while creating memories that will last forever. The experience I had for four months in Italy could never compare to any semester I’ll have at Kent State. You don’t realize the memories you’re making until it’s over and you look back and think, “Wow did I really go ATVing around Corfu, Greece during spring break?”
You meet all types of people while you’re abroad that help shape you into a more diverse and open-minded individual. Whether they’re other students from America or bubble tea shop employees in Santorini, Greece, the people around you greet you with open arms and are just as excited to meet you as you are them. I still keep in touch with the friends I met on trips and around Italy so wherever I go, I have people around to help me.
While packing for a weekend or wandering around ancient cities, you will not believe how much you will learn about yourself. You may find your favorite food is a dish served in Germany, or you may find something deeper, like what you want for your future. Whatever it is, you will come out of study abroad with a different view of yourself and what you want in life.
Not only will you learn so much about yourself, but you’ll learn about the rest of the globe and cultures. No matter where you study, the culture is different than the one you’re used to and when you travel around more, you are immersed in various different societies. You see firsthand how different cultures are with their traditions, food, views, religion, etc.
When I put that I studied abroad for a semester at the top of my resume, the advantage I have over other applicants for the same job is tremendous. Employers want to see that you are knowledgeable about the world and that you took a chance to go out and engage yourself in different cultures. Whatever your major is, studying abroad is advantageous to any career. With skills like adaptability and problem solving, you will be able to explain times you’ve had to overcome adversity.
When you choose to go abroad, you are taking a huge step out of your comfort zone. I love traveling and being independent and even studied in Costa Rica for 10 days in high school, but living in a different country for an entire semester was still scary to me. When you step out of your comfort zone by studying abroad, you create more opportunities for yourself, and you create a fearlessness to challenge yourself in life more often.
My mom always told me to go out and see the world while I’m young. If you don’t go see the world now, when will you? Believe it or not, you don’t have that many responsibilities right now, so why not leave and learn while you can? If you have the opportunity, go see the world, and if your school doesn’t offer a good study abroad program, find one.
Whatever may be holding you back from studying abroad, I strongly advise you to just take that leap of faith. I promise, you do not know what you’re missing.
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