Gelato, pasta, pastries, croissants, espresso. What do all of these things have in common? They are all foreign foods loved by American college students. However, many students are now able to taste the wondrous foods of the world (and not just by going to buy it at World Market). How can you get a sample? Study abroad.
I am a firm believer that every college student should study abroad. Not only can you throw in exotic-sounding phrases to your everyday lexicon or avoid conversations by pretending you don’t speak English, you can also appreciate everything in a more complex manner. It’s safe to say that studying abroad can be one of the most influential, life-changing years in one’s lifetime. Opening your mind to the many cultures of the world is an amazing and unforgettable experience.
Studying abroad brings many positive aspects, the first being freedom. Living in another country allows you to have almost completely unrestrained freedom. With your freedom comes many important choices to make. There is need for prioritizing, planning and preparing for an array of situations.
Studying abroad also enhances your self-awareness, critical thinking and creativity. Going to another country with no friends or family really allows you to contemplate and evaluate your life in a way very different from when you lived in the States, surrounded by everything familiar to you.
What’s amazing about studying abroad is that it really can be for everyone. You don’t have to be a modern languages majors to study abroad; anyone can do it! From the mouths of fellow study abroad students, here is what contributed to making their year so amazing.
Natalia Perez, junior mass communications major, explained her time in Italy by saying, “I was in a melting pot of different lifestyles, cultures and art. I was in a country where no one understood me. I was the outsider--the one who must conform to their language and their ways of thinking and learning. It was a wonderful growing experience.”
Ben Mixon, junior public relations major, said, “There's such variety everywhere you go. The proximity to the world is what I loved most.”
Though it can be a challenge, the result is completely worth it. Caleb Johnson-Siaw, senior marketing major, said, “Your experience is dictated by your worldviews, and you can’t travel that way. You have got to travel with an open mind.”
Josué Roncal, senior global policy and service major, said, “I feel like I can connect with people that are from abroad in a better way now that I have had my own experience abroad. I have no regrets in spending a year abroad, even if it pushed my graduation date. The benefits are plenty more than the costs.”
As Ally Dye, junior public relations and graphic design major, so eloquently said, “Studying abroad really emphasizes the notion that all humans--not just American citizens--are created equal. I've grown an entirely new respect and curiosity for those who live and think differently than me. I want to keep meeting, keep learning, keep being humbled and keep moving.”
If you’re even considering study abroad, my one piece of advice would be to do it. Find a way to make it happen. I guarantee it will be a life-changing experience.