As the semester wraps up, students abroad prepare to pack their bags and they prepare to embark on their journeys to return home. At the same time, other students eagerly plan elaborate itineraries for the upcoming semester overseas.
Most universities across the country offer study abroad programs that allow students to travel around the world while continuing their academic careers. Typically, programs are catered to specific majors. For those able to participate, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn about your career path, as well as yourself.
I asked four former study abroad students to spill the beans about their experiences and everything you need to know about studying abroad.
First of all, what’s your major and academic year?
Tess: Dietetics Major, Junior
Barbara Soo*: Communication Studies, Junior
Haley: Business Management, Senior
Emily: Communication Studies, Senior
Where did you go, and why did you pick this trip?
Tess: I went to London, England. I knew London was the right choice for me because British culture is the most similar to American culture and I wanted to study abroad, but still feel comfortable. The fact that there would be no language barrier was another important factor in my decision making process.
Barbara Soo: Seoul, South Korea. I picked this because I wanted to explore a culture completely different from Western ways.
Haley: Belgium, and it allowed me to complete required courses for my major while traveling around Europe.
Emily: London in the Fall of 2015. I chose this trip because London was a place I’d always wanted to go (probably because I was obsessed with what a girl wants… just kidding but not really). I also hadn’t been taking foreign language courses so I really didn’t want to deal with a language barrier. Once I started looking into the details, the London program also fit my academic courses best.
What was the most surprising aspect about your experience/being abroad?
Tess: I was most surprised by how home sick I was. Growing up I would travel all across the country for weeks at a time and never get home sick.
Barbara Soo: How strong of ties other countries media have with their government
Haley: How friendly and welcoming everyone was. When we went to Greece, the owner of a restaurant gave us some free food and drinks as her way to welcome us to the country and get us to try their local food/drinks.
Emily: I had heard a lot of things about London and England in general before I went. The typical things were “the weather and food suck”. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn’t rain nearly as much as everyone had told me it would, and in terms of food I wish I could take every one of those haters to Borough/Camden markets (best food of my life!). I was also pleasantly surprised to discover how easy and affordable it was to travel to other countries from London.
Do you feel as if you’ve changed as a result of your time abroad? If so, how?
Tess: I have become a lot more travel savvy since being abroad. London is a very big city and getting from place to place was not always an easy task. Before my trip I had no idea how to use public transportation and was never comfortable traveling on my own. Now I don’t think twice about riding underground subways or traveling on buses, planes and trains.
Barbara Soo: Yes, I feel as if I have a more worldly perspective
Haley: Yes, I feel like I am more open and welcoming to new experiences and people who are different than me. Europeans are very open to other cultures
Emily: Yes, I think my time abroad definitely sparked my travel bug to a new extent. I’d always enjoyed traveling but never really considered living full time abroad, which is something I’m now looking into thanks to London. I also think being abroad made me more independent in certain ways. Learning to navigate cities, book transportation, hotels, etc., can teach you a lot more than expected sometimes.
Do you have any regrets about your trip?
Tess: I wish I had spent more time relaxing and enjoying my time instead of rushing to do everything on my to-do list. I think this unnecessary stress was to blame for my homesickness.
Barbara Soo: I didn’t pack enough clothes and I never had the right outfits for anything!
Haley: Not going our more :)
Emily: No regrets! As cliché as it sounds, my only regret was leaving (-:
Do you have any tips for students preparing for their study abroad trip?
Tess: My advice for people studying abroad in the future would be to use your to-do lists as a guide instead of a check list. There is so much to do, but don’t feel like you have to do absolutely everything. Prioritize the things you want to do, but make sure to leave time to be human and relax. J
Barbara Soo: Learn Korean (or the language spoken where you’re going)!
Haley: Don't be afraid to spend your money. You may only get the chance to travel like this once so enjoy it while you can.
Emily: Take advantage of every opportunity! Go new places, hang out with locals, try new foods, do it all. Also try not to let money (or lack of money) hold you back too much! Easier said than done, but you never know when you’ll have these opportunities again so if the only thing stopping you from doing something is the cost try your best to find a way to make it work.
If you still have the opportunity, consider looking into your school’s study abroad program. You’ll learn so much more than just academics.
Make the world your classroom.
*= name has been changed for privacy (and also for fun), by request.
