Ronnie Sorensen
Imagine yourself on the next flight to a distant country far, far away from Iowa City. You gaze out of the window seat and see an endless view of crashing ocean waves and the whitest clouds. You ease back into your seat and realize that even if you are now completely on your own, and you are venturing to an entirely different place full of new cultures, languages, food, and people, you know that you made the right choice. Studying abroad was meant for you.
But even before you can consider signing up for your new journey in life, you have to know more about the process as a whole. What is studying abroad all about? The Study Abroad Fair will set you in the right direction.
The fair, on the second floor of the University Capitol Center, is intended for UI students. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, and admission is free. And, as if free entry isn’t enough, students who attend can sign up to be part of a $500 award drawing to help fund for their future abroad studies. This event is a great way to introduce students, especially freshmen, to the great opportunities and benefits that studying in another country can offer them.
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What are those opportunities and benefits? According to IES Abroad, studying abroad can give students a “lifetime of benefits.” The group says studying abroad can kick students’ educational motivators into overdrive. After coming back, students often pursue a higher degree than what they planned to obtain before they left.
“Most students never view their education in the same way again,” the organization says. A survey by the U.S. Census Bureau found that more than 80 percent of respondents said studying abroad has enhanced their academic interests.
IES also says studying abroad boosts one’s chances of launching a career — what employer wouldn’t be impressed by reading an application from a student who studied finance in China for a semester?
Alongside all the career and academic benefits of studying abroad, there are also personal reasons that students should make the journey overseas to pursue their dreams. They can make lifelong friends in the process and really learn how to grow as a person. These new experiences open people’s eyes to a new place in the world full of new people, events, and cultures — these new revelations change people and make them more prepared for our diverse world.
There are some negatives to studying in a different country, however. The Tokyo Marine HHC-MIS Group, an organization that offers group travel insurances products for travelers, especially students, notes some disadvantages are cultural barriers, being completely on your own, expenses, and issues with transfer credits. But the group gives plenty of solutions to counter the negatives in order to give you the chance of a lifetime.
Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity that gives students the chance to learn about a world of possibilities. Attending the Study Abroad fair is a great way to get started.
