Is Studying Abroad Even Worth It?

There are many opinions on whether studying abroad is worth the stress and money. I'm here to tell you that if you have the opportunity to study in another country for a semester, or even for a few weeks, you should definitely do it.

But why should you leave the comforts of your home and all of your best friends to study in a foreign place with strangers?

For me, the answer to this question in my first couple of weeks in France was you shouldn't. Obviously my opinion on this has changed... it just took a little while to adjust to my new home and shift to a more positive outlook.

Mainly, studying abroad opened up my view on the world. There were a lot of French and American students in my classes, but there were also many other students from all over the world. Out of the 20 people in my French class, I was one of only two Americans, which really made me realize how unique it was to have the opportunity to meet and have discussions with people from countries like Australia, Estonia, China, and Russia. I can say now that after living in France, I definitely have a better understanding of what is going on outside of my little bubble of the U.S.

In addition, it was amazing to be able to be immersed in a different culture for five months. Even though France is not entirely different from the United States, being there for such an extended period of time made me appreciate the small intricacies that define a country. In France, I got used to seeing locals carrying four or five baguettes in a backpack in the morning, and walking on the cobblestone streets to the boulangerie everyday.

Most of all, though, studying abroad makes you grow as a person. In my case, before this, I thought that there was a certain stigma attached to traveling alone, and I felt that it would be boring to travel somewhere by myself. However, when I wanted to travel to Belgium for a weekend because my favorite artist was playing but all of my new friends were busy, I ended up going there alone. This turned out to be one of my favorite weekends and I loved the time that I got to spend by myself—exploring the country and doing whatever I wanted to do. Also, because my family was so far away and there was a six hour time difference, I became more independent because I had to solve my problems by myself, such as my making my travel plans and finding a doctor who speaks English when I got the flu.

This is not to say that there aren't any reasons why you shouldn't study abroad, because it definitely has its cons. For one, you won't get to see or talk to your family nearly as often as you'd like to. Also, you'll find that there are small things about home that you didn't even think you would miss. It could be as simple as the little familiarities you see during your walk around campus, like the dining hall with the food that is just "ok," and smiling politely as you pass by the guy you vaguely remember sitting behind you in your freshman year English class.

However, if you go into your semester abroad knowing that you will have bad days where you will miss the comforts of home, but still remembering everything you're gaining from this unique experience, I promise it will be worth it.