Many moons ago and most likely in a land far, far away, someone decided that college students should have the option to pack up their scholarly routines and take them to exotic new lands. Whoever that brilliant son of a gun is needs a gracious pat on the back coupled with a Nobel Prize. Study abroad programs have been implemented into nearly every American university and each year, 240,000 young, wandering souls uproot their lives in order to experience those of other nations. The University of Florida offers a multitude of exchange, university-sponsored, and credit transferable programs, placing almost any global location at your fingertips. The UF Study Abroad Fair held on Wednesday, September 18th can help you chart your international courses, but until then, here’s my personal list of benefits, setbacks, tips, and destinations to help you find your bearing.
Via: wordpress.com
PROS
1. You will grow culturally.
Let’s start with the obvious: By taking your academia to a foreign country, you will, in fact, not be at UF. You will be compelled to immerse yourself into learning a new, unfamiliar culture. You will taste, breathe and feel the life of a different nation that perhaps never crossed your mind and will gain a newfound appreciation for the world’s diversity. Americans, unfortunately, can be somewhat ignorant toward all things foreign and divergent from our typical customs. Staying with a Portuguese-speaking couple in the thick of Sao Paulo, Brazil or ordering off of a French menu in Versailles undoubtedly removes you from your comfort zone, and even makes you vulnerable, but ultimately, presents you with fresh perspective and worldly recognition.
2. You will expand your friendships.
Via: blog.studyabroad101.com
When I sat through a fourteen hour plane ride last summer and stepped off in Auckland, New Zealand, I stepped off alone. I had skipped an information session (or five) and upon exiting the international gate, asked every person who didn’t have wrinkles or a Kiwi accent if they were on UF’s program. After finally stumbling into a few girls clad in Gator paraphernalia, I awkwardly introduced myself, not knowing that they would become some of my closest college companions. Going abroad demands cultural subjections, but it also demands a sense of stability. My New Zealand friends provided me with security along with some of my fondest memories. Since my program was exclusively through UF, I was able to carry these friendships back to Gainesville and expand my relationships to include those I had made overseas.
3. You will diversify your resume.
By studying abroad, you will experience the first hand effects of the current, globalized economy and workplace. You will witness the toll of the US recession upon foreign nations, or relish in a beneficial exchange rate. You will make connections with foreign citizens, gain insight into their educational systems, and become conscious of various, global companies and how their practices fit into financial resources. When you’re warily searching for a career a few years down the road, potential employers will recognize the value of your time abroad and show your willingness to adapt and communicate.
CONS
1. It’ll cost you.
Whoever said that the best things in life are free never spent a semester in London. While Bright Futures and Florida Pre-Paid will give your time abroad a financial boost, globe-trotting don’t come cheap. Programs can range from a couple grand to five figures depending on duration, exchange rates, and various expenses. But fear not! The University of Florida provides budget sheets estimating program costs and expense breakdowns such as this, helping you to weigh your options and determine the most cost efficient locale for you. You can also apply for various study abroad scholarships, grants and awards that could end up saving you a pretty penny or two.
2. You might miss a few basketball games.
It’s true that while you are climbing glaciers in the south of New Zealand, learning Flamenco style dance in Spain, or diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, you might be missing out on your favorite UF pastimes. However, you’ll be doing some pretty cool shit in replacement. I doubt you’ll be complaining when you’re chugging a pint at Oktoberfest instead of watching Driskel get sacked on a Saturday.
ADVICE
My only regret about my time abroad is that I wasn’t there for a longer period. The UF in New Zealand program takes place over a four week period during the Summer A semester. At first, I was hesitant about spending an entire month away from my typical, hometown-bound routine. However, looking back on my trip during our last night in Christchurch, it didn’t seem nearly lengthy enough. If I were you, I would go during the academic year, for a semester’s duration. You get more bang for your buck via Bright Futures than you do during the summer, you have more travel and excursion opportunities, and you gain greater familiarity and love for your environment.
I also want to reinforce the advantages of going alone. If you venture to a foreign land with a few close pals or a group of compadres, you run the risk of secluding yourself in order to feel safe. Your friends can act as a guard if you let them, reducing opportunities for new friendships and taking chances. The entire premise of going to a foreign place is to break down personal barriers of attachment and the let go. How can you do that if someone is holding you back? If you have moderately decent social skills and are open to new experiences, you will get everything and more out of your studies by flying solo.
Via: tumblr.com
Lastly, have fun, but don’t forget that you have a job to do. You are studying abroad, not binge drinking abroad, experimenting with hallucinogens abroad, or dare I say it, fornicating abroad. Those things can be fun, leisurely ways to immerse yourself, but they aren’t going to transfer toward your tracking audit. Work hard, play hard my friends. If you don’t already know that, you’re probably reading this from some sort of cell or your mom’s basement.
TOP PICKS
Of course, I can only truly vouch for New Zealand on this one. I’m a little bit biased. On that note, you should all go there because it’s the most amazing place you’ll ever see. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you probably don’t need too much convincing. If you’re looking to go elsewhere (which you shouldn’t), I can bestow you with this wisdom: Do your research. Do you thirst for the rich, artistic cultivation of Italy or would you rather venture into the Australian outback? What do you want to get out of you time abroad? Ask yourself this, go HAM on Google, and make a choice. That being said, I suggest going somewhere slightly off of the radar. In my personal opinion, there are a handful of places that you could venture toward at various points in your life. You could always honeymoon in Mexico or go to Europe for a company retreat, but how often will you be able to set out to Thailand or Indonesia? Consider all financial and timely aspects, but also think long term about your opportunities.
Taking your studies overseas is one of the best educational moves you can make, student or not. With a bountiful array of options provided by out beloved university, what are you waiting for? Set sail, jet set, do whatever you can to travel. We’re young, impressionable and have limited responsibilities. If you’re going to gallivant, now may be one of the only feasible opportunities you have. Pack up, don’t look back, and be prepared to change the way that you view the world.
Photo courtesy of: bostinno.streetwise.co
