Different Ways to Learn by Emily

Different Ways to Learn by Emily - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Anyone who has the slightest desire to go abroad should do it, in my honest opinion. If for whatever reason you can’t finish the semester or year and have to come home, what’s the worst that could happen? You graduate at age twenty three instead of twenty two. In the reality of life, that’s not a big difference. Besides, the chances of that happening are minimal.
One of students biggest fears when deciding to go abroad is losing their friends and being out of the loop when they return. In reality, the student going away should not change anything. You can still talk to your friends through phone calls, video chats, text messages, or any other form of modern technology. If your friends were your true friends, they would be happy for you. Your friends should be understanding especially when you return.
There is still the possibility that you will be out of loop when you return. You will still have plenty of time to the latest music, fashion trends, television shows, etc. Those things shouldn’t matter as much as what you experienced while you were abroad.
Another fear for students is trying to convince his/her parents. Do they think that you’re just wasting time, wasting money, or a way to get out of studying. It’s important that they understand the benefits of studying abroad.
Tell them that while you will be having a good time and an active social life, you will also have a unique educational experience. This will stay with you for the rest of your life. If you did a little research with them, they would be amazed by how many thousands of study abroad opportunities there are. They will understand why you are so excited to spend a summer, semester, or even a full year in another country.
As cliche as it sounds, by studying abroad a much worldlier person and become more marketable to grad schools and employers. The intangible life skills you’re going to pick up along the way are very impressive. Think of it as gaining a sort of cultural capital. The fact that you have studied abroad will answer many people’s questions about what type of person you are without asking.
Do you want culture? Perhaps one of the ways to experience culture is to live it. That’s exactly what you’ll be doing as a study abroad student. Aside from gaining an understanding for culture other than your own, you will also gain intangible skills: independence, time management, organization, social skills, and self confidence. Those skills will all develop exponentially while studying abroad.
There will be a moment while abroad when you’ll realize that you’ve made the right decision. You should treasure that moment. That moment will come when all the stress from the first few weeks of getting accumulated is finally over. It’s at that point that you will fully grasp what you’re doing: the magnitude of your decision to go abroad, and your new found drive to take advantage of every opportunity that lays ahead of you.