Ever since my junior year of high school, a dream of mine has been to study abroad. Specifically in Australia.

Many of my friends and family who know me, know that studying abroad is something I have always wanted to try. Having only been out of the country once in my lifetime, I hope to spend one semester my sophomore year of college abroad.

Some people may ask why I would want to because college is a hard adjustment in of itself but moving to a whole new country for a semester even worse... it’s extremely daunting. To be honest with you, that's exactly why I want to do it. I want to experience something so exciting in my life that is also a huge accomplishment at the same time. Going and experiencing a completely new culture, seeing beautiful new places and expanding your knowledge beyond belief are givens when it comes to studying abroad. On top of that, you get to learn more about yourself than ever before.

The Sydney, Australia study abroad program at my University is a semester-long of in-class learning for one half and interning with a specially matched company the second half. I believe the knowledge that I can gain while studying abroad is out of this world (no pun intended), from learning more about my major, cultures, lifestyles and international relations, the benefits would be extreme. On top of that, studying abroad is a one-way ticket to the opportunities to travel to many places and do absolutely amazing things that you could never do in the United States. For example, snorkeling in the great barrier reef, country hopping in Europe and eating authentic cuisine.

Not only does spending time abroad give you many opportunities to learn more about yourself while experiencing new things, it also benefits you career wise. One of the scariest things for someone graduating from college is what their next steps will be for the future. Many aspire to have a job, however, in reality, many students have a hard time getting there. This is where studying abroad can help. Employers seek for stand out potential employees and many of them say that students who studied abroad are better prepared for jobs because of their acquired skills in adapting to diverse work environments.

Basically, studying abroad, in my opinion, will only benefit you. The experience, knowledge, and opportunity you can gain is immense. So I encourage you to join me and see what opportunities are in store for you as well because the world awaits.