College: No Place for Comfort Zones and Time Zones by Tyler

College: No Place for Comfort Zones and Time Zones by Tyler - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

To truly have an enriching college experience, students would benefit greatly from studying abroad. Seeing more of the world, being immersed in another culture, and gaining new experiences provides more of an education than merely sitting in a classroom.
According to an Asian proverb, “Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.” Neither the internet nor books can fully allow someone to understand a foreign country. Studying abroad makes it possible for a student to realize more about the world, beyond what he or she has been previously been exposed. This change from the normal routine allows a branching out that leads to the discovery of different ideas, people, and places. Though I have not traveled extensively, I was able to spend a couple of weeks in Puerto Rico one summer. The island contained so many beautiful wonders that are not available to view in the states, including a rainforest and bioluminescent bays.
Not only can studying abroad make learning more interesting, but it also provides the student with exposure to new cultures. People often become accustomed to their own lifestyles and how they choose to live. This can lead to stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination. Being immersed in another environment allows an individual to better understand other people, consider their thoughts and ideas, and challenge one’s own beliefs. In other words, one can appreciate diversity when surrounded by a foreign culture. While on the island of Culebra near Puerto Rico, I experienced first hand how people seemed to live a simpler life than what I have grown accustomed to in the United States. “Island time” could not be determined by a wristwatch. Instead, many of the residents used the sun and moon or meals to determine when to participate in an activity.
Stepping out of the regularity of the classroom provides students with the experience they need to remain passionate about their education, and doing so in a different country can amplify this effect. What better way for me to study architecture than to surround myself with some of the world’s most amazing architectural wonders? Sure I can study them using a computer or book, but there is no comparison for actually seeing the spectacular monuments in person. Before arriving in Old San Juan, I remember my mother telling me about the colorful buildings and blue cobblestone roads. Naturally, my imagination drew on what I had seen in books and in shows in order to understand what my mother described; however, when I arrived in the historically colonial area, the beauty of the blockhouses and sub-barrios against the blue sky and ocean backdrop was simply breathtaking and beyond what I could capture in a photograph. In addition, no professor can fully articulate the sensation of personally taking in the view of San Juan Bay from a sentry at San Cristobal.
Traveling to a new country is an amazing opportunity that many people do not get the chance to experience, limiting their knowledge of our incredibly diverse world. To occupy oneself with only comfortable, commonplace surroundings is a disservice to understanding the world and limits a person to only what he or she can know by “staying in our own backyard”. To obtain a higher degree of knowledge, experiences beyond the norm are required. If a person is to truly possess an extensive and astute education, traveling abroad is definitely necessary.