When January rolls around, my Timehop app starts to fill with old tweets of excitement before leaving for my semester abroad and a huge feeling of nostalgia creeps in. I always knew that I would study abroad, and honestly, it was the best decision that I could have made. So, for my readers who are still in college, I wanted to share 5 reasons why you absolutely most definitely without a doubt HAVE to study abroad.
To Travel
This is probably the most obvious of the reasons, but studying abroad gives you an incredible opportunity to travel. Living somewhere for several months means that you get the chance to really explore and immerse yourself in the culture, which is a very different experience than just visiting a place for a week. By the end of your semester, it won’t just feel like someplace that you traveled to, it’ll feel like home. But of course, your travel won’t be limited to just the city that you’ll be staying in. Depending on where you choose to study abroad, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to explore other cities in your country or even lots of other countries if you’re somewhere like Europe. And let’s not forget that this might be the only time in your life when you get an extended period of time to travel. For most, after college comes a job, and although you’ll get to take some time off, you won’t be taking months off. So take advantage of this opportunity while you have it.
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Learn More About Yourself
Studying abroad is very exciting, but there are definitely aspects that can feel overwhelming at times. But with the challenges that you do face, you will learn more about who you are and you will grow as a person. It’s sort of like starting college again, where you need to make new friends and figure out your day-to-day routine all over again. Being in a situation like that where you are out of your comfort zone will force you to become more independent. And if you don’t feel like you’re the “adventurous” type, studying abroad will bring out that part of you too, because, after all, every day will be an adventure.
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It’s A Resume Booster
It can be easy to forget, but studying abroad is still studying abroad. You are still in school and trying to take the right steps to land your dream job after graduation. The great news is that with studying abroad, you get to have an amazing experience that also looks great on a resume. And when you land an interview, it can be a great way to connect with your interviewer if he/she has also studied abroad.
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Make Amazing New Friends
Your program will be filled with other like-minded college students that are ready to explore. It’s funny to look back on now, but some of the best friends that I made abroad I actually became close with while we were on a trip together. As in we decided to travel together before we were really even friends…but that’s just the way it works!
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It’ll Be The Highlight Of Your College Career
Studying abroad will be the most unforgettable experience and something that you’ll look back on for the rest of your life. You might think that you’ll get FOMO with all your friends back at school, but trust me, when your weekend consists of flying to Paris rather than going to the same old frat party, you won’t miss a thing.
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If you studied abroad, I would love to hear where you went! And if you haven’t yet, where are you dreaming of going?
