Studying abroad is a big deal. You pack up your life to attend this school across an ocean that you’ve maybe never even seen before and hope and pray that you’ll have the greatest experience of your life. I’m not meaning to put it in such dramatic terms, but we have to be realistic, folks. As a post-study-abroad-er (this is a fancy, new-fangled term I recently invented) I found that the best way to cope with these jitters is to do your research. Is this advice cliché? Possibly. But you can’t argue with good old-fashioned logic.
As you explore the possibilities of studying abroad to lands unknown, it is important to first discover what country you should study in. Perhaps your first step might be to Google “which country should I study abroad in?” or various forms of that question that Google apparently knows the answer to.
Maybe your instinct tells you to look for a Buzzfeed quiz that answers this query by asking thought-provoking questions such as “which celebrity would be your BFF?” or “which pig in a sweater do you prefer?” These deep and insightful questions will no doubt lead you to your best option, complete with a short description that might include something about the Kardashians or space travel.
Another form of research that I highly recommend is the always-accurate Hollywood film library. Movies with hunks like Matt Damon driving really fast through the crowded streets of Istanbul give extensive background information and inspiration to viewers. I personally used this form of research when choosing which country to fly to. This is my tale.
It was a dark and stormy night and I had just obtained a cherry limeade from Sonic. A group of college students sat huddled around a 42” television complete with homemade surround sound. Our eyes were glued to the screen, focusing on Mel Gibson’s every word. As I sat there among my peers, sipping my red dye number forty with a hint of lime, I realized that Mel’s blue face paint was slowly inspiring me. He wasn’t inspiring me to lead a rebellion, as you might be assuming. He was inspiring me to study abroad to Scotland.
But it’s time to get serious. If you’re going to dump a load of cash on an academic vacation you should probably extend your research beyond Buzzfeed and cinema. So now I would like to introduce you to the second half of this ridiculous commentary: Real Talk.
If you’re actually considering studying abroad, allow me to fill you in on how it’s done (Mel Gibson and Matt Damon are NOT involved). Your first step should be to determine why you want to study abroad and whether you can, both financially and academically. Because of credits and scholarships, I studied abroad over the summer.
Not only did it work best with my academic plan, but it was a manageable amount of time to be overseas. Perhaps your “why” has to do with which country you visit. Perhaps not. The experience of studying abroad can be invaluable, as long as you take advantage of the opportunities.
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you do actually have to attend a university while you’re there. You also have to do homework. So to ease this burden, I recommend doing some research on potential universities. You remember, back in the day, how much time and effort we put into choosing a college?
Knowing a few things about the university you will attend is quite important considering you can’t just swing by for a tour any old time. I recommend picking up a few of the booklets that the study abroad coordinator at your university has millions of. Trust me, they have them piled so high in their office they may even throw them at you. These booklets are made by the companies you study abroad through and give you good information on courses, universities, and extra weekend excursions.
If you have learned anything from my satirical antics and “Braveheart” references, it should be that studying abroad is an amazing opportunity for you. Listen to this quote from One Direction: “live while we’re young.” Let that resonate with you.
Soon you’re going to have to be an adult and only leave the country on business (if you’re lucky) where you’ll have only ten hours to do all of your adult stuff and somehow manage to squeeze in a small amount of food poisoning and jet-lag. So take this opportunity to learn about other cultures outside of just going to see a movie. Break out of this American bubble and go see the world.
