College is an experience that constantly gives you challenging and life changing experiences; but their is one opportunity in College that will change the way that you look at the world for the rest of your life. UW– La Crosse senior, Carly Emmel, will never look at the world the same after her experience, “The world is a completely different place now. It’s like the globe is so much more my friend.” Emmel elaborates, “Earth is now mine to love, protect and explore.” The experience they are referring to is: taking a big leap out of your comfort zone and studying abroad in a foreign country. Regardless of the organizations you are a part of, your cultural background, or your future career, studying abroad in college can help you find success.

The friends that you make while abroad will provide you with a perspective that will give you a level of life understanding that you cannot read in books or only hear about; you need a firsthand experience in order to reap the benefits. Those friends will not only give you a new perspective on their culture, but an outside perspective of your own culture as well. UW-L alumni, Natalie Newcomer, said “My biggest takeaway was realizing how different we all are as people, but truly how similar we are in some ways,” about their experience studying abroad. While abroad, the connections you make will give you countless opportunities to understand how similar the places that seem so different really are.

The opportunity to fully immerse yourself in another culture for an extended period of time allows you to better understand your own culture. UW-L Junior, Libby Kaiser, is currently one month into her semester in Ireland and had this to say, “One month is a short amount of time, and a month abroad seems to be even shorter. Time flies by over here, and after realizing that, it made me appreciate everything more.” Kaiser also commented on the things she has already learned, “I’ve learned to be patient, how to live in a foreign country, to ask for help, I’ve learned about human differences and about the beauty of independence.” After only one month abroad, Kaiser looks at the world in a new light and realizes how valuable the amount of time you have abroad is.

You will most likely never get an opportunity to spend the same amount of time abroad. Studying abroad allows you to spend enough time in a foreign country to call that place home. Grant Horst volunteered abroad and told The Racquet, “I firmly believe that studying abroad is one of the most unique and best learning experiences anyone can have.” Horst expands, “Being immersed in a place where you aren’t comfortable really gives you a chance to branch out and try new things that aren’t in your comfort zone.” This is a valuable reason to study abroad because even if you make enough money to pay for such a lengthy trip later in life, finding multiple months off of your other obligations is difficult once you have the responsibilities that a college student does not have.

College students are on their last leg of childhood before being forced into true adulthood and studying abroad could be the journey they need to make that transition. As Saint Augustine once said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” So do not let yourself read only a page, take a chance to study abroad in college and read the entire book.