For some time now you may have been living in a bubble.
Gays? Obviously accepted. Liberals? Almost everywhere. Opportunities? Basic. Yet many find comfort in this bubble while others are trying to pop it. They are running after the floating bubble hoping it will pop and as a result, they will be able to see the rest of the world. The good, maybe the sad, and even the unusual. A new perspective. For young adults or students, many have sought new opportunities by choosing to study abroad. Students pick a destination or multiple destinations and study the culture and build on the academics they have already started. Statistically, taking a leap and leaving the bubble of safety and normality has positive effects on students. According to a University of Maryland Study on IES Abroad study, alumni found that 97 percent of students have increased maturity. UC Merced also found that academically, 100 percent of students have a higher GPA when studying abroad. For many if traveling around the world and exploring new places earns an increase in GPA, that would be a good deal. Remy Borneo, a junior at Penn State University, decided to study abroad and has not regretted it as she is still in Spain for the rest of Spring Semester. “Traveling to new cities and staying in hotels almost forces you to be more social, you learn so much about people and the cities your visiting. Academically if you can take classes that work with your major It's actually very interesting to learn from a different point of view. My teachers are also the best source of learning about the city and where the best places to eat are and what other cities to visit,” Borneo said. Seniors at Carlmont also aspire to study abroad sometime in their next four years. After already traveling around Europe, Sophia Gunning, a senior, is very excited to spend a semester abroad sometime during her college years. “I want to go abroad because I love traveling and living in a different country for a year would be an amazing learning experience. It would also help me learn a language, and I would meet a lot of new people. College is about getting an education and I think seeing the world is an important part of that,” Gunning said. Learning a language can also be a gateway to having more opportunities for different jobs and interacting with a diverse amount of people. According to The American Field Service now known as the AFS-USA, a nonprofit organization which works to build a more just and peaceful world through international education and exchange, 70 percent of surveyed AFS program participants achieved foreign language fluency while abroad. As a result, there is a direct relationship with job opportunities, intellectual focus and delayed mental decline. Having the advantage of being bilingual also allows communication with more people and an insight to other cultures. UC Merced has also performed studies that 80 percent of people who study abroad are more inclined to adapt to a more diverse work environment. For others, studying abroad invokes fear as it promotes more independence and getting comfortable in a foreign country and adapting to a foreign culture. If communication skills are weaker and being around the unknown triggers fear, it could be harder to study abroad. Kiana Philip, a senior, said, “The future and independence is something that really stresses me out to think about so as of now I am not sure if I would want to study abroad but my mind might change as I start adjusting to being alone and see new things in college. It’s also scary to think your so far away from your family with no one your familiar with. I don’t know if I could handle that.” Other students may argue that studying abroad is too expensive and either can’t afford the trip or feel they can save their money and use their money for other life expenses. “It’s just honestly such a waste of time and money. I can put my time and money somewhere else,” said Austin Leary, a senior. According to Forbes, studying abroad on average cost $31,270 per semester. However, there are unfamiliar resources to reduce the price such as the International Student Identity Card, which is issued in over 130 countries, gives cardholders discounts on any product, service or experience relevant to student life and doubles as proof of student status. There is also cheaper airfare and one can choose a destination based on the price. “I would 100 percent recommend going abroad to anyone and everyone even if it's just for a month, it is the experience of a lifetime that everyone should experience. Never again in your life will you have four free months to travel Europe and experience all the cultures that are here. I'm halfway done with the semester and it's so sad this has been the best two months of my life and I'll probably never stop talking about it,” Borneo said. |