A study abroad is a quintessential part of the traditional college experience. When I was 19 years old, I had my opportunity. I was selected for a US-UK Fulbright Summer Institute (which I highly recommend looking into–it’s an excellent experience). These are some lessons I learned during my study abroad, many of which I have found to be near-universal. Hopefully these help you to see why a study abroad will benefit you!
#1: To not let fear run my life
I was so excited when I found out I’d received the scholarship to study abroad. I’d been learning about The Troubles for months and hoping and praying that I’d get the scholarship. However, when the day finally came, I was terrified. It was only a month, yes, but I’d never been further than Mexico. Now, I’d be leaving the US and going to a brand new country on my own. I’d be far from my family, my new relationship, and my dog, and it was all unfamiliar.
Despite how amazing the experience was, I was still scared. I forced myself to step into the discomfort and think of how most growth comes from these moments. Each time something came up, I reminded myself of this. Whether it was approaching a stranger to ask about a bus or trying something new, it helped to think of this.
This is a lesson I’ve had to re-learn several times. Human nature, right? However, whenever I think of all of the lessons that I learned during my study abroad, this is what comes up first.
#2: To adjust, even when it’s hard
When you study abroad, there’s an emotional curve you go through, as shown here. First, you’re super excited. After a while, that excitement turns into frustration at differences and homesickness. Then, the homesickness wears away and you adapt. However, all too soon, it’s time to return home. There, you might experience some frustration about reverse culture shock.
While studying abroad is a great experience and enriches your life, this is something that can be difficult. Your university will likely brief you about it. For me, the difficult parts looked like missing my family and pets, being sad that I was missing out on experiences with friends, and wanting the comfort of my room and my couch.
It sounds obvious–yeah, you’re going away, of course you’ll feel sad. But there’s an element of guilt to it. You have this amazing opportunity, and it feels like you need to take advantage of every moment. Sometimes, instead of feeling the pressure, you need to take a breath. Consider that it’s temporary. Then, once you have a clearer head, go out and try something new. Practice being flexible, even if it’s not your strong suit.
So this was another one of the lessons I learned during my study abroad: be like the reeds. Don’t fight against the wind, but go with it instead.
#3: To be more confident
Trusting yourself and gaining confidence can be tricky, especially when you’re in a completely new environment. You feel like an outsider, and you’re completely out of your element. It’s tricky enough back home. Yet somehow, a study abroad provides the perfect chance for growth.
Sometimes, you feel like a different person when you study abroad. Different aspects of your personality come out around different people and circumstances. At least for me, studying abroad quickly allowed me to feel so liberated. I was in a place where nobody knew me. That idea that I wouldn’t be judged let me relax a bit, and I felt more like myself because of it. Often, when you’re 100% in charge of your surroundings and are isolated from all of the other outside influences, you become your true self. Studying abroad and the independence that accompanies it provides you with that freedom.
Out of all the lessons I learned during my study abroad, this was the one that I carried with me most throughout the rest of college. Whether it was trusting myself to navigate new city streets without my phone’s GPS, going to a ceilidh, or asking questions in class, I learned how to take those steps to be more confident back home as well.
#4: To say yes
Growth starts with a yes.
If you always shut down opportunities, you’re not able to explore, learn about yourself, and understand more. Obviously it’s still important to say no to things that are unsafe, illegal, or against your moral code. But if it’s a matter of letting fear run your life, as aforementioned, say yes!
In my daily life, I can be shy and reserved. However, if you saw me in Northern Ireland, you probably wouldn’t know that. Why? Because I made it a point to say yes.
My trip to Northern Ireland was on scholarship. It was fully funded through Fulbright. As I went, I knew that I was not going to look that generosity in the eye, and I was determined to take full advantage of it. So when someone asked if I wanted to visit a historical site? Yes. Try a new food? Yes. Go on a hike, even though I hate hiking? Yes (funny story–it ended up raining three different times while we were going up the hill. But I still had fun, and I deepened my friendships with people I still talk to today).
Because I said yes to so much, I met amazing people, gained incredible experiences, learned so much, and made memories to last a lifetime. It sounds cheesy, yes, but it’s true.
#5: To live in the moment
Your study abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The time moves strangely–way too fast at times, slow at other times. With everything going on, it can be easy to live in your head, or to have one foot there and the other at home. Out of the lessons I learned during my study abroad, this was a difficult one, simply because my mind (like most people’s) is constantly turning.
When you face homesickness, it helps to remember that this is just a wonderful chapter in your journey and that you will return home soon. For me, the homesickness kicked in more toward the end, but I remembered that I had the rest of college to experience the “normal” that I was missing or the FOMO I felt.
It’s also natural to worry about things. Travels, returning home, friendships, family, relationships…it’s totally normal, and everyone does it. However, in these moments, it also helps to take a breath, look outside your window, and see how far you’ve taken yourself.
A Final Word
There were so many lessons I learned during my study abroad. From living in the moment to being more flexible, it was truly a formative experience. Upon coming home, I only took these lessons and built on them. Although a study abroad is amazing for so many other reasons, this is one of the biggest benefits: you learn so much about yourself, the world, and how to interact with it! What lessons did you learn if you’ve studied abroad? Let me know!
