Oh, the places you’ll study
Students consider studying abroad in college
photo credit: Heath Hadley
Niagara Fall Break \ Counselor Miss Jessica Taylor scratches off another place on her world map after going on a trip to Canada over fall break. Whenever she gets the chance, she travels to a new place and scratches it off her map. “I went to a professional hockey game, a world cup qualifier, and took a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls,” Taylor said. “That was so cool.”
October 25, 2021
For the first 18 years of students’ lives, they are usually stuck in one place, with the same culture, people, and experiences. After high school, the world’s vast horizons open up, and students can apply to colleges all over the United States and the world. College is commonly known as the time to broaden one’s horizons, but no one considers how or why. Studying abroad, however, allows students to literally see new scenery and horizons. In most colleges and universities, study abroad programs are common, so students should know what it means and why they should consider it.
“I have been to 51 countries,” counselor Jessica Taylor said. “I did not study abroad and it is one of my big regrets. Studying abroad was not as popular and there weren’t as many opportunities as there are now. I didn’t leave the U.S. until I was 26 and traveled all over the world.”
Studying abroad is just what it sounds like: a student leaves the United States to go and study in a different country and maybe even a different university depending on the program.
“The spring of 2017, my freshman year of college, I studied abroad in Liverpool, England, for a semester,” alumna Catie Shirley, class of 2016, said. “It was easily one of the best experiences of my life.”
Studying abroad gives college students the opportunity to see the world, expand their perspective and have opportunities they would not get otherwise.
“Students should consider studying abroad because of the life long skills and memories you experience,” alumna Jamie Zaborsky, class of 2017 said. “Aside from traveling, you get the chance to indulge in cultures, see historical monuments and create international friendships.“
Zaborsky went to Barcelona in January and February of 2020.
“The benefits of studying abroad are endless. Improvement in language skills, education from a different perspective, global networking, and life experiences that you can’t have anywhere else,” Zaborsky said. “From studying abroad, I made friendships that will last forever and became the most independent version of myself that I have ever been. In addition, studying abroad has helped boost my resume and skills for future careers in a global setting.”
Senior Harrison Murphy is interested in studying abroad in Europe when he goes to college.
“I think studying abroad would be a fun and eye-opening experience,” Murphy said. “I would like to go to France for the opportunities, but Venice, Italy, would be more fun.”
For most people, studying abroad is the first time they will explore a new place without their parents, which can give them the opportunity to learn new life skills and craft relationships.
“I met people from all around the world and was able to take a long weekend every weekend to travel to a new country,” Shirley said. “Plus, education is cheaper in England so I actually saved money by studying abroad. It was truly a semester I will never forget and I wish every single person could study abroad.”
In college, students have more freedom to go and live in a new place without seriously interrupting or changing their lives.
“The college atmosphere is usually very open and welcoming to international students,” Miss Taylor said. “It is easier to get a student visa than an adult one.”
Studying abroad can be an unforgettable experience that could change a life forever.
“When students come home from studying abroad they are much more globally minded and have built a lot of maturity from being so independent and living in a new place,” Taylor said.
