Sometimes, a girl just needs to get out of Boston.  Especially since the typical Northeastern grind involves five years of school, co-op and summer classes, most of us come to a point where we just can’t take another New England winter. So how do you get the heck out of dodge without jeopardizing your graduation date? Easy: you take one of these 7 NU options to leave Boston.
1. Study Abroad.  This is the first thing that comes to mind, and the option that most other schools in American have. But did you know that all your financial aid and scholarships count toward your study abroad tuition, as well?  And that your credits will transfer back to NU? You can even go away for your very last semester at NU and make contacts for when your graduate. That makes spending 3-5 months in Ghana, France, China or Costa Rica sound even more exciting. What’s stopping you from applying?
2. Dialogue of Civilizations. Can’t commit to a whole semester abroad? Lucky for you, Northeastern has a nationally award-winning summer program. Instead of taking your summer classes on campus, you can take them pretty much anywhere in the world. And since a member of the NU faculty will be leading the summer 1 or summer 2 trip, you can take a bigger risk about which country you go to. How about Brazil, Italy, or even Lebanon? Go online to see the full list of what’s available. And remember, your tuition money pays for housing and flights, making this the best deal on NU’s campus. No wonder over 1,000 students do this every summer! The deadline is January 22 for this summer, so make sure you apply soon!
3. International Co-op. If you want to leave the country for 3-6 months while improving your resume, international co-op could be perfect for you. While not all co-ops are paid, you can apply for up to $6,000 from the President Global Scholars Program to help cover the costs of airfare, housing, local transport and food. There are also tons of jobs available via international co-op because so few NU students take advantage of this great opportunity.
4. Co-op outside of Boston. Sometimes we don’t need a change of country to mix it up, just a change of city.  And with so many diverse areas in the US, why not give living in one of them a trial run by co-oping outside of Boston? Because the co-op is still domestic, you won’t have to worry about visas or getting shots.  This is a great opportunity to go to NYC, LA, San Francisco, or even Hawaii! And did I mention how nice it is to get a change of scenery while making enough money to enjoy it? Read Lindsy Frank’s co-op blog to see what it’s like co-oping in California!
5. Alternative Spring Break (ASB). If you just need a small taste of the outside world and you want to do some good with your spring break, then ASB is for you!  With trips to parts of the US as well as Latin America, you could find yourself helping with the Katrina recovery process in the Mississippi Delta or teaching orphans how to speak English in the Dominican Republic.  They post about info sessions on their Facebook group, so join and check it out!
6. Summer abroad. Couldn’t find the right Dialogue for you? Need a little more freedom when it comes to your class schedule or how to spend your weekend? No worries, there are other, more traditional programs during the summer as well. Check out the website to learn more about spending Summer 1, Summer 2, or your full summer at schools like the London School of Economics or the American University of Rome, among others.  Â
7. Engineers Without Borders(EWB). EWB is a great opportunity for students to put their skills to good use while helping others.  EWB has projects in Uganda and Honduras, and members earn their spots on trips by demonstrating commitment to the group, so join early!  Check out our profile of Campus Celeb Ryan for a first-hand account of his experience abroad with the student group.
Want more information?  For Dialogues, summer abroad or traditional study abroad, contact the Office of International Study Programs or browse their website. For Co-op abroad, speak with an International Co-op advisor by making an appointment on their website. For domestic co-ops outside of Boston, make an appointment with your regular co-op advisor.  And for Alternative Spring Break, check out their website. They’re full for this year, but you can support their fundraisers and talk to participants to see if it’s the right fit for you next year! To get involved with EWB, look at their calendar and attend a meeting.
Happy travels, Husky collegiettes™!