How to Grow Through Study Abroad

One of my biggest decisions since being at Furman has been the debate over studying abroad for a semester. It is such an enriching experience, but I also didn’t want to miss out on a semester at Furman! I knew it would be hard to be away from my friends and in a completely different country, but at the end of the day, when do you ever get the opportunity to do something like this ever again?

I have always had such a passion for travel, and I decided to at least apply to a program and see what happens. As I was looking at all the options for abroad trips next spring, I absolutely fell in love with the idea of the internship program in London, England. I would spend a semester in London, taking classes at the local university, and doing an internship in my field of study. This seemed too good to be true.

I immediately started researching everything about the trip and finding possible courses I might take at the City University of London! I started my application and met with someone in the Rinker Center for Study Away to get more information about the abroad process. Everyone who plans to apply for these trips will meet with someone from the study away offices to make sure you’re looking at all your options, picking the right programs for you, and perfecting your application.

The application process itself helps you develop professionally through developing thoughts about your future and preparing for an interview with Furman faculty. I met with the faculty member who is running the trip to London, and it was very helpful to hear everything she had to say about the program. I found out I had gotten accepted into the study away semester and I was so excited!

It’s definitely scary to think about being away for an entire semester, but it’s also exciting to know that I’m about to see an entire new place, meet so many new people, and learn so much about myself and the area I’m living. Through the classes I take, I will learn about life abroad and the subject material I’m interested in. I will be surrounded by students who all have different backgrounds and views than my own and that’s such a valuable skill to develop working with others. The internship especially will be so helpful for my future as it prepares me to work with professionals and create a work-life balance!

 

There are so many different trips and programs to pick from and Furman makes it so easy to fit into your 4 years. I would highly recommend that everyone considers an abroad trip, but one special thing about Furman Study Away is the MayX program! This stands for May Experience and instead of spending an entire semester away, you would spend the month of May doing an abroad program. There are also many different options during this term, but if you don’t see yourself being away from campus for the whole semester, definitely consider the MayX option.

My trip will take place in Spring 2023 and as scary as it might be at first, I already know it will be one of the most life changing experiences I’ve ever had! Stay tuned to see where it takes me…

All the love!

Andersen