What Study Abroad is Really Like

If you've checked out my website, chances are you've seen my study abroad page. If you haven't, I was lucky enough to go through a marketing study abroad program in Greece and Turkey. While everyone has heard of study abroad, I thought it would be useful for you all to know the process from start to finish. Check out the steps below!

The Application Process

For my program, applications and program details were released at the beginning of September. Before this, no programs were official. Some programs from the past may be rerun, while some may not. I've also seen new ones pop up (the one I did was new), and I've seen former programs stay the same but the location was in a completely different part of the world. Before applying, I went to the in-person information session for the trip I was interested in. This helped me understand more details about the trip and if it would actually be something I wanted to pursue. I knew going into the session that it seemed like a good fit for me because it was 6 credits of marketing classes, but once I went to the session, I knew the trip would be great for me, and I applied the next day.

After applying with a short online form, I was emailed to schedule an interview with the professors. The time that I chose only had one professor, but it was a very relaxed interview that was mostly geared towards assessing what kind of person I was. Shortly thereafter, I was selected to go on the trip!

Pre-Travel

From the time between getting accepted to the program and the end of the school year, we didn't do much to prepare. We had a few sessions with our study abroad group where we got a more specific itinerary, chose our flights, and got to know each other! I spent a lot of this time researching the places we were going, making sure I bought anything I needed, and overall just getting excited about leaving! I went into the trip not being close with anyone, which was scary, but I also spent some of this time trying to meet new people who were going on the trip.

While Abroad

Even if you go with friends, studying abroad (especially if it is your first time leaving the country like it was for me) will be an adjustment. For me, it felt very reminiscent of freshman year of college. I was surrounded by people I didn't know well, I was sharing a room with someone, and I was in a new place. This could be a lot at times, but overall, I made so many new friends and had such a unique experience. While you're abroad, you can expect to have an experience like never before. What I love about studying abroad is that you are more likely to visit places you never would on a regular vacation, and it is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to make good friends in college. If you are planning on going on a study abroad, my biggest piece of advice is to try to take in everything while you are there—the food, the people, the places—all of it.

Coming Home

When I came home from my study abroad, I felt a wide-range of emotions. My trip was three weeks abroad and I thought it was the perfect amount of time, but I was still ready to be home. I loved my trip, loved where I was, and never wanted the views to end. I also adored the food and historical sights that I was constantly surrounded by. But despite all of that, I still was excited to be home and see my friends and family. I am happy to be back, but I constantly am picturing being back in those places. If you're coming home from studying abroad, I would recommend trying to surround yourself with your friends and family. It is such a bittersweet feeling being back, but being with the people you've missed helps make you not miss where you were!

I hope that reading this has given you some insight into what it really feels like being on a study abroad trip. I'll see you next week for more in-depth content from topics on my website!

If you want to see a specific timeline of my trip, check out the study abroad page on my website!