Advice for Students Who Are Considering Studying Abroad

Are you one of the changemakers deciding whether to study abroad or not? Do you happen to feel overwhelmed just by the thought of navigating life abroad? These emotions might be doubled if you are a first time traveler like me. If that is you, rest assured because you are not alone. As someone who has experienced these emotions, here is some advice I would like to share.

Look for Programs That Fascinate You!
I chose to study abroad in Madrid because of many reasons. One reason is that I wanted to advance my Spanish skills. Learning Spanish is very important to me because I want to apply it in my professional life. In the future I would like to be a dentist and I want to provide care for individuals whether they speak English or not. I specifically want to advance my Spanish because it is the second most spoken language in the United States and I want to treat Spanish speaking individuals that might not be fluent in English. I highly recommend that you select a program that aligns with your goals or interests so that you can maximize learning.

Start Early!
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to start early. Whether it is the application or gathering all the materials after acceptance, it will take a lot of time! As someone who is a full time student that lives on campus, I faced many obstacles when gathering all materials. I remember when uploading a copy of my passport, I needed to wait a month because it was at home. However, since I started my application early, I was able to submit a copy of my passport just in time and successfully apply.

Connect with Past Students!
I remember feeling very anxious because I knew I wanted to study abroad but I was also scared of all the uncertainty that comes with studying abroad. To ease my nerves, I reached out to a student that studied abroad before. When connecting with her, I told her about my fear of navigating through the airport alone, using public transportation in a foreign country, the challenges of foreign classes and thousands of other fears. Thankfully she was kind enough to answer all of my questions. She told me studying abroad is one of her favorite experiences of college and she learned so much. She also shared her experience of embracing the new culture and changes. Her story helped me solidify my decision to study abroad. Just like how my confusion was cleared, I think you can learn a lot from speaking with another student who was in the same boat as you.

If you are feeling nervous or unsure, that's okay. Studying abroad is a big change but it is also an awesome opportunity to learn! It is an experience that will truly change your life. It will also allow you to make so many new lifelong friends.