Jaclyn Hlywa
9/9/2013
What’s all the Hype About Studying Abroad?
May 15th, 2013 I set out on my first ever journey outside of the United States. I had no clue what to expect. I did not know if I packed too little or too much. What if I get lost? What was the weather going to be like? What was the city going to be like? What if there is too much of a language barrier? The questions cluttered my head as I sat through a nine-hour plane ride to Florence, Italy.
Studying abroad for me was a leap of risk being since I am the type who does not prefer to stray far from home. But something about being able to explore another country; one of which half my heritage comes from, while taking college courses and getting some credits out of the way, was an opportunity I could not turn down.
If you live on a college campus I am sure you often see posters or signs saying “Study Abroad Next Semester!” or this summer, winter or any other type of programs your school offers. Maybe you are the more adventurous type who immediately is like “Yeah! I want to study abroad!” or you are the more unsure type who does not know what this whole “study abroad experience” entails. It is natural to feel a bit fearful or anxious for drastic changes such as venturing to another country, but after studying abroad this summer in Italy, I can assure you that if you get the opportunity to study abroad while in college you should definitely take it. Here is why:
1. Once you graduate college you are going to be so busy trying to find a job or get started on your life after school. Traveling, let alone traveling out of the country, might be out of the question.
2. If you are looking to study abroad for a semester, it at some times actually comes out to be cheaper than paying for a semester’s tuition at your current university.
3. Studying abroad with your school usually entails that you will be studying abroad with a group of students from your university. When I studied abroad I went with the UConn program to Italy. This allowed me to meet a ton of students from UConn who I would not generally meet on a daily basis at school. After coming back from the trip I had a whole new group of friends, whom I had shared countless memories with.
4. Studying abroad can help you put things into perspective. I had some “life-changing moments” so-to-say while away. Never in a million years, or even a year ago for that matter, did I picture myself venturing around Italy seeing scenes such as the Blue Grotto in Capri, the inside of a volcano Pompeii, colorful homes stacked on top of one another in the hills of Positano and Cinque Terre or the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Everything I saw was eye opening and jaw dropping and made me realize in order to appreciate things as beautiful as what I was seeing I had to start living my life in the moment of my presence and enjoying everything life threw at me.
5. Studying abroad can open your horizon to diversity, cultural growth, independence and may even give you the opportunity to learn a new language!
6. Attention resume builders! Studying abroad looks great on a resume as it shows you are open to different learning habits and have a diverse education system.
7. To study abroad is the one time where you can lose yourself and find yourself. I mean this in the sense that going through your everyday routines at home gets tedious. You wake up, get breakfast, go to class, study, see the same faces, go to the same stores and then you sleep. Studying in a different country gives you nothing you have seen it before. For me, I let my every day life at home swallow me. I got caught up in the same things every day and kept going on. Traveling to Italy helped me find and regain myself. I was on my own and had time to reflect on what being on my own actually meant, as well as what being myself really meant. After six weeks abroad, I had a clean head and a new outlook on life. I knew who I was and felt as good as ever to come home and carry out my life.
To all UConn Collegiettes: UConn has their Study Abroad Fair this Thursday, Septemeber 12th, 4-7pm in the Rome Ballroom. To all other collegiettes, get in contact with your study abroad office to find out when your fair is! Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this one.