Have you ever thought of studying abroad?
While teaching and guiding students in their study choices, I have often noticed that many of them can be hesitant to study abroad. They like the comfort of their parents’ home, the familiarity of their hometown and the group of friends that they have known for years. However, there are so many reasons why pushing yourself and exploring studying abroad can provide a great opportunity for exploration and self development, no matter where you come from and where you have been living.
First of all, studying abroad will give you a chance to get outside of your comfort zone. Yes, you read right, it’s a chance! You can only gain out of it. Think about it: you are young, you have the opportunity to travel to a new place, make new friends and have new experiences. In other words, you have the chance to have fun!
And we all know that when you push yourself, you will often discover a whole new side of yourself. Getting outside of your comfort zone can help you grow as a person and become more independent.
If you only look inside your own country or city to find a university, your choices will remain limited. But if you do your research and discover universities abroad, you might even come across options that you had never considered before. When you broaden your view, your options will become much bigger and much more varied.
What’s more, there are universities with faculties that are really strong in a specific field and have excellent connections with the business world as well. If these faculties match up with your interest, this can help you find your dream job!
Usually companies are more interested in hiring people that show adaptability. These are people that are capable of facing different situations and challenges. Saying that you have studied in a country that is different from the one you were raised in shows all of that.
Moving to another country gives you the oportunity to discover a new culture, a new language and a new lifestyles. By actually living in a different country for a couple of years, you will get to know it much better than when you are just visiting on holiday. Your local friends can show you places where no tourist guide would bring you. This widens your cultural understanding and broadens your perspective on the world. Besides, if you go to a university that has a large group of international students you have the chance to make lots of friends from all over the world, which is also great for when you want to travel to their homecountries!
These are only a couple of reasons for why you should consider studying abroad. Although the idea of leaving the comfort of home can be a bit scary, I am sure it will be an amazing experience!