When we were young, things were so easy. The curiosity and passion we had rooted into our spirits turned the most mundane of activities into an adventure. There was no argument or debate within ourselves. We played sports, dug up worms, and pretended to be monsters. We didn't have to analyze our every decision. If you liked something, you just did it. If you hated something, you could just stop. There were no repercussions. Fast forward several years through secondary education and now we've landed into an entirely different realm.
COLLEGE.
Yes, college. The promised land of opportunity and success. The place where you need to have your life figured out. Where you are expected to have a plan for your future. For most of us, it is no longer a time for us to be that child fulfilling his hearts desire. It is about following society's mold.
Go to college, make good grades, get a job, and make money.
But isn't there more to life?
Studying abroad gives those of us who have always wanted to travel a chance to turn our dream into a reality, regardless of our circumstances. There is an unbelievable amount of aid out there to support students in their pursuit of seeing the world. With the help of scholarships and other financial opportunities at my university, I was able to pay for a five week program in Bregenz, Austria. With the weekends to travel, I was fortunate enough to venture throughout 7 European countries.
Every single aspect of studying abroad forces you out of your comfort zone. Leaving your friends and family, getting over the fear of flying on that plane, and knowing you are about to be 5000 miles away from home. These are the moments in which you will feel the most alive. These are the moments in which you will discover who you really are, and not who people want you to be. Whether it be the powerful relationships you build with others, the new perspectives on life and your home country, or the challenge of learning a new language, the time you spend abroad will be some of the most defining and meaningful days of your life. For me, I discovered that international travel is something that I am extremely passionate about, in fact, It is something that I will be pursuing upon graduation. Give that inner child of yours a chance, you never know where they might lead you, they might even show you who you're suppose to be.
