Having these four or more years of your life to figure out who you really are is exhilarating. Staying in the United States for college is part of that plan for many students. But, there are the few brave ones who decide that there is more out there to be explored and learned from, even while still in school. Going overseas at some point in college is helpful in more ways than one.
During the most pivotal years of our lives, many of us just go through the motions until something clicks. I’ll get this out of the way now and let you know that I am one of those students, though my “clicking” came long before college.
Anyway, I am also one of the students who always sat back and wondered what life could have been like if I ventured out more than in just the United States. I regret not going overseas to study abroad or explore for a summer, and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way.
We are all making life-long friends at this point in our lives, whether it is in college or not. The friends of mine who have studied abroad now have friends in corners of the world that will most likely remain just a dream to me throughout life. Being more worldly doesn’t always help in terms of personal growth, but I’m sure it doesn’t hurt.
My roommates are actually embarking on a post-graduate European journey just five days after we walk the commencement stage. One of them, though, has already been to many of the places they will be going. He spent a year in Denmark and is using his past connections to make life, and my friends’ trip, much easier and less stressful.
He made a good impression on his host family and newly made European friends, so they are opening their doors to help show my friends a good time, and save them money. Instead of paying for hotels every night, they now have a few free nights to rest easier.
Not everyone goes back to his or her European adventure, and life in the states still becomes easier and more beneficial. I wrote an article last week on how people like myself are being forced to take a back seat in the job market. We fall short of even entry-level jobs because of lack of experience, even if our credentials coming out of college are superb. That saddens me, especially knowing that there was once a time where getting a great job was not a far off dream right after college.
But what doesn’t sadden me is knowing that those who are being referred to in this article also have the upper hand in the job market. Employers always look for something that makes one applicant stand out more than the rest. If someone who has the same credentials as me coming out of college also has a semester of college overseas under their belt, and I lose the job I want to them, more power to them.
I applaud their effort and envy their choice to better their life with this opportunity. If you have the opportunity to go overseas, take it and you’ll eventually reap the benefits.
