This summer I studied abroad in London, and I can say this has been one of the best experiences I’ve had during my three years of college. While this might seem like an intimidating decision, you must think about why you want to do it in the first place. For me, I felt as if I needed a change of pace, but didn’t want to commit to a whole semester, nor would it have fit into my schedule. There are many different programs that you can look into, and you should find one that will fit your needs. For example, I knew I was interested in a summer program, and that I wanted to go to London, so all that was left to decide was what school I wanted to apply to, the course I wanted to take, and the dates of the course. While this sounds complicated, the study abroad website easily displays all this information, and you can filter your interests to find the program that is best for you! Throughout the time I was abroad, I had many new experiences, which ultimately led to my belief that everyone needs to study abroad during their time in college. If you’re on the fence about studying abroad, read on to find out why I think you should study abroad before you graduate.
The first reason would have to be independence. While in London, I was left on my own to find out where I wanted to travel to, where I wanted to eat, and who I wanted to make friends with. As someone who was going into her senior year of college, this taught me a lot about “adulting.” You will be surprised how far you can go by yourself and sometimes just need to try.
My navigation skills also improved. Navigating a new city by yourself can be scary. And let me just say, chances are, you will get lost. But that’s okay! Then comes the fun part, when you can figure your way back and be proud of yourself for doing so. And this is coming from someone who still needs directions to places she’s been driving to for years.
Communication is a big part of being abroad. Because I studied somewhere that also has English as their primary language, I was fortunate to not have to worry about a language barrier. However, this is something to consider when deciding on a program. I highly recommend going to all the events your program offers because this will be your best chance of meeting new people. Throughout my time in London, I met people from all over the U.S. and even from other countries, such as Australia and Germany. I was fortunate enough to meet my friend group the first day I arrived because we had orientation that day. It’s important to remember that everyone is in the same position as you! If you’re doing the summer program like I did, everyone is going to be new and will want to make new friends. Even if you are studying abroad for a semester, I promise there are going to be a lot of opportunities to meet people, even though I know it can be scary.
Something else I did while I was in London, which I recommend if you have the opportunity, is to travel around during or when your program is over. At the time, one of my roommates was studying abroad in Ireland, so I visited her when my trip was over. This was such a good experience because it was just another opportunity to experience new things and see different places.
By the end of the four weeks, I had navigated a city I didn’t know, experienced different cultures, and met friends who I had grown to love and still talk with to this day. This trip taught me a lot about myself through decisions I made and people I chose to spend my time with. If you are considering studying abroad, please do! While everyone’s experience is going to be different, I promise you will make memories you will cherish forever.