As I entered college I told myself that I would never study abroad in the next four years of my studies. I knew I didn't want to be away from home for an extended period of time. I loved to travel, but I never thought it would be possible for me while I paid for college. Things changed, however, and this past January I took a course with the Orchestra on my campus to Sweden and Norway. While it was only for one month versus the 3 to 5 of an entire semester, my time abroad changed my perspective of wanting to go and study elsewhere. Here are 11 reasons why you should study abroad while you are in college:
1. You get to explore the world. 
Unless you are blessed with wealth, having the chance to travel the world for long periods of time don't come very often. Not only do you get this opportunity, but it typically doesn't cost much more than you already pay for tuition.
2. You mature in a different way.
Sure, being a college student helps you mature... but having to go through that same experience while learning and adapting to a new culture just seems to make you mature differently. You learn financial skills and budgeting and discover how you learn.
3. You appreciate the smaller things. 
While the food there was DELICIOUS, often times I had no idea what I was being served. This was definitely something that I always took advantage of having the privilege to know.
4. You learn about your own culture. 
Turns out, it isn't normal to only get a single slice when ordering pizza. While at two different pizza places, you are served an entire pizza with a fork and a knife. This soon became like number 3, and I learned to appreciate sliced pizza.
5. You learn about the culture of others.
While learning what you intended to study while abroad, often times there are other museums and cultural visits. I was able to see many different churches, historical museums, and traditional places such as the Grand Cafe while I was away. While walking the streets, you also learn the atmosphere and how people spend their day to day lives.
6. You can practice your language skills.
With not having known more than a few key phrases before I arrived, you quickly learn what different signs mean. Even though in Sweden and Norway pretty much everybody speaks various amounts of English, it was fun to learn new words and phrases.
7. You gain independence. 
You have to spend your money wisely, you have to take transportation you've never taken before, and you have to learn how to manage your time. You gain all of this while being able to explore a completely unfamiliar place. You learn to rely less on others and more on yourself.
8. You learn to adapt.
In my case, I had to learn how to adapt with the orchestra. We performed in a wide variety of places and some of which we barely fit on stage. We played in acoustic cathedrals and then we performed on dry, theatre stages. We never knew what we faced until the day of the performance.
9. Studying abroad is different than a vacation.
Typically, when you are on a vacation you go somewhere to relax and have fun. While studying abroad is both fun and relaxing at times, you are also there to gain more knowledge about your desired topics. Studying abroad provides you with a greater understanding if different topics, unlike a vacation.
10. You connect with others. 
Not only did I connect with many people within the orchestra, but I was also able to connect with people I never knew I would! For instance, this photo shows two of my sorority sisters. The woman on the left is someone who lives I Sweden that I had never met before!
11. You make memories you will never forget.
I don't think I need to say anything more.
