A College Girl's Guide to Going Abroad

Do I want to go abroad? Where will I spend half of my junior year? What will I do with my apartment at school? Who will I go abroad with friends? Or would I get a fuller experience if I go independently? When do I sign up for classes? How do I know where to live in a foreign country?

These questions, and many more, ran incessantly through my head and those of my fellow sophomores several months ago as we decided whether to go abroad the following school year. As I am leaving for my chosen study abroad program in Rome in a few weeks, I've been through them all. I've learned the most from friends and contacts who went abroad in previous years; here is a guide of what I know so far, to help those of you about to be faced with the decision. Keep in mind that the study abroad experience is different for everyone!

 

When to go Abroad:  At my school, the University of Pennsylvania, most students study abroad first semester of their junior year; however, there are several students who choose programs that are only offered second semester. Melanie, a Penn junior, explains, "I wanted to go to Israel for a semester, and the Penn-affiliated program there is only offered second semester. It's sort of frustrating that my friends and I will be on opposite schedules, but that's a worthy sacrifice for my trip!" Students at many colleges around the country tend to go second semester for a number of reasons. Zach, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, gives his: "We just can't miss football season first semester. We're happy to go second."

In the long run, it does not matter whether you go first or second semester as long as you pick the program that is right for you.

Where to go Abroad:  It seems that most students study abroad in Europe. Most schools offer students locations ranging from standard (like Paris, Barcelona, and Florence) to rare (such as Prague and Copenhagen). One obvious benefit to studying abroad in Europe is that it is fairly easy to travel from one city to another; cheap airfares and Euro-rail passes enable students to visit their friends and a plethora of countries and cities during a simple weekend trip.

However, there are also many advantages to studying abroad in completely different areas. Mark, a Wharton junior about to leave for Hong Kong, explains, "When else would I be able to live in such a distinctive city? It's a great opportunity." Brett, a University of Michigan junior, agrees. He chose Sydney because: "I've been to Europe with my family; I feel like it's generally much more accessible than Australia. I should take advantage of being halfway around the world I can even visit Thailand and New Zealand while I'm there."

Studying abroad in Sydney has other benefits; many students who do not meet their programs' language requirements choose to travel to English-speaking areas like England or Australia. Penn, like other schools, offers a number of programs in the London and Sydney areas. These programs do not entail having to squeeze in another language requirement, and also allow students to feel comfortable in their native language. David, a Penn junior about to study in South London, describes, "Going abroad is a big deal your whole life is uprooted. I want to go to a city where I will be able to do daily tasks without worrying about having to conjugate a verb properly."

While David makes a good point, many other students prefer to go to foreign-language areas in order to become fully enriched in a culture and almost fluent in a language. Among other reasons, I chose to go to Rome because I want to take advantage of my four semesters of Italian as my Italian teachers have all insisted, there really is no better way to learn a language than to be around it all the time.

The Living Situation at School: Dealing with your apartment or dorm situation while you're going to study abroad can be one of the most hassling aspects about going away. There are a few approaches you can take to handle the nuisance properly. One option is finding a subletter; you can look for someone to rent your room or house by posting an ad on Craigslist.com and/or notices all over campus. You should also be sure to send your sublet request to any club or Greek life list serves in which you take part. Ilana, a Wharton junior going to Madrid, says, "Finding someone to sublet from you can be such a pain. The best way to do it is to tell everyone you know you're looking for a subletter; it takes a lot of time and effort, but it usually works out." This method saves you and your parents money, as you don't have to pay rent for both your school home and your place abroad.

Another option is being the subletter. Liz, a junior from the University of Michigan going to Florence in the spring, explains, "My friends and I are renting an apartment first semester from grad students. Then we go abroad, and senior year we'll find our own apartment." This method will cost about just as much as finding someone else to rent from you, but you are then faced with the disadvantage of having to move around a lot. Again, you have to find the best option for you.

The Living Situation Abroad: Facing the task of finding somewhere to live in a foreign country can be incredibly daunting. Take advantage of any resources you may have. Most programs offer dorms for students; this option is usually cheapest and most convenient, as the dorms are likely very close to the school. You also gain the benefit of living in a student-friendly environment. However, many students choose to look for their own apartments or houses. This can often be done from home by browsing websites and asking other students and abroad contacts. My friends and I found our apartment in Rome through a website that deals with Italian rentals.

Other students often go to their study abroad city a week or so in advance and look for apartments while they are there. Hannah, a senior at Duke who went to Rome last year, says, "We found our place a week before classes started and it worked out perfectly. It's a lot more reassuring to see where you're living in person, so that there are no surprises."

There are also programs that offer or insist on a home-stay living situation. Students on these programs may either choose or are required to live with a family from their program's city. Ilana notes, "It will definitely be hard to live with a family that isn't mine, but I know I'll get used to it. Living with people from Madrid will only make my Spain experience that much fuller."

Whom to go Abroad With: Many students, myself included, feel more secure going abroad with a group of friends. Familiar faces and people you already know and feel comfortable with will make the experience a little bit easier. Zach points out, "I want to make these awesome memories with my best friends. It's also cool that because so many students go away to the same places at the same time, I get to go abroad with my best friends from college and from home." If you do go away with pals, just be careful to be open to new friendships as well.

Meanwhile, some students feel that going abroad independently can be more fulfilling. Steve, a Penn junior going to Barcelona though a relatively exclusive program, says, "I'll miss my friends, but I want to really challenge myself and go to a foreign place on my own. That way, I can make new relationships I may miss out on if I go with everyone I know."

Classes Abroad:  Deciding which classes to take is an individual choice that is part of the abroad experience. I would advise anyone to take classes that are particular to your abroad city. For example, I will be taking history of Rome classes in Rome. My friends are excited to be taking art history classes in Italy and throughout Europe.

It is also important to, of course, take classes that will help you with your major or minor requirements; don't forget that going abroad is, at its core, an academic experience. You don't want to spend a semester taking classes you love but then have no credit to show for it. Consult your abroad, major, and minor advisors to see which classes will properly transfer to satisfy your requirements. Registering for classes at a foreign school is usually a little more stressful than signing up at home. Again, asking students who went on your program the year before is the best way to really learn what a student's experience in that particular class is like. Some programs offer counselors especially to advise you.

For example, Rob, a junior at Penn, just started his semester in Australia. Instead of signing up for classes before he left the U.S., he met with an advisor his first week in the country and got specific individual guidance. Don't worry if your program does not offer this kind of assistance; you can usually rearrange your schedule once you begin classes.

The Money Situation: Unfortunately, spending a lot of money is an inevitable disadvantage to studying abroad. Penn, like many schools, charges students the same tuition price for a semester abroad as it would for a semester in Philly, plus a small study abroad fee. Students are also eligible to receive financial aid. Keep in mind, however, that the basic costs of living outside the U.S. are usually higher than what you're used to (for instance, we all know the euro is stronger than the dollar). To make extra cash, try getting a job or an internship; asking your abroad advisor is the easiest way to go about this. You can also take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and pay your parents back later.

On the other hand: There are many students who choose to stay at school and skip a semester abroad. Often, these students can't go because they are unable to find a program that works for them; sometimes, these students won't go because they are afraid to challenge themselves and leave their comfort zones. My friend David argues, "College is awesome. Who would want to leave what you love? But, think about it like this: You can have eight great semesters all exactly alike or, you can have seven great semesters and one amazing, special semester. It's worth it."

Clearly, everyone has his or her own approach to a semester abroad. I've learned that the bottom line is that it doesn't matter when, where, or how you study abroad, as long as you make the most of your experience.

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