Similar Opportunities in Different Places by Lauren

Similar Opportunities in Different Places by Lauren - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

One year ago, I took a Cultural Anthropology class that allowed me to learn about many different cultures, including my own. In this course, I was taught about various topics ranging from religion to art to family life, and my eyes were opened to the ways other people live all around the world. Though my classmates and I travelled across the globe mentally, we remained in the same classroom all year long. To this day, that has been one of my favorite classes, however I do not believe that students should be required to travel in order to learn about other cultures.
As a naturally curious person and an advocate for discovering what makes different people tick, I love travelling and learning about different cultures. However, I can appreciate the fact that others may not share my views, and those who do share them may not have the resources and opportunities to travel abroad. Although the average cost to study abroad for one semester is fairly close to the cost of college tuition, some can hardly afford that. Many young adults have jobs outside of school to help support themselves, so leaving for a whole semester could have the tradeoff of losing money. Besides that, people may not be able to easily leave due to a job, family issues, or possible health concerns associated with travelling.
Just as some students enjoy travelling, there will be others who do not. If those people are forced to spend their own money on a trip that they do not deem necessary to their education, they may not have the same experience others would find rewarding. Whether it be travel-associated anxiety or a general aversion to unusual environments, nobody should be forced to go somewhere they may not be comfortable, especially when that place is a completely different country.
For the students who are interested in studying abroad and have the resources necessary to do so, the option should still remain open. If the main goal, however, is to expose the students to different cultures, courses such as the one I took last year could be required. Taking a class may not have as much depth as actually visiting different areas, but it is an appropriate accommodation for those who cannot travel. Though visiting other countries and learning from that experience can be immensely rewarding, it should not be a requirement of all students.