Studying abroad during your senior year is dangerous.
With transfer credits that have to make it back to your home institution in time, classes that have to be scheduled before graduation, and of course friendships that must be savored so that they become a lasting relationship, it’s a decision that can be really hard to come to; but studying abroad in your senior year is a good decision if for no other reason than it is the perfect cure to senioritis.
You’re familiar with senioritis — you’ve probably had it once before in high school. You remember what it’s like to never want to do anything ever. You remember the constant fear and stress of choosing the right college and making sure you pass all of your classes. It’s the same in college, but with maybe an extra pinch of crippling fear of what the future will hold and somehow even less motivation to get work done on time.
Studying abroad is the perfect way to solve all of those issues and more, plus it gives you fond memories and new experiences that you never would have expected.
Studying abroad means a complete removal of each and every symptom of senioritis. No longer will you feel trapped in the boring mundane university environment you have come to know over the course of four years. Each day of a semester abroad is a new adventure, and each task — even a seemingly simple one — is a new challenge. Adventure and challenge are the opposite of senioritis.
During a semester abroad there many opportunities for travel and loads of surprising places and brand new cities to visit. Travel and surprise are also the opposite of senioritis.
Studying abroad presents a completely new academic experience as well. It’s like starting over again at freshman year — in a good way. New professors, new programs and new classmates all waiting for you to meet them. Starting over may sound really awful to a senior in college, but it’s actually incredibly liberating and a great chance to gauge how happy you are in your chosen major and career path.
Studying abroad in your senior year is a chance for self reflection, a chance to gain knowledge, and a chance to really challenge your ability to be on your own before you actually have to go and do it.
Studying abroad is an experience I would gladly recommend to anyone, but for those who feel like you’ve missed your chance, think again and think hard about the experiences that you’ve had thus far. Have they been everything you wanted to get out of your college experience? Do you find yourself wanting more? The solution is clear. Challenge yourself. Make new friends. Have completely scary and amazing new experiences. Study abroad.
Bonus tip: The trick to having a successful senior year or final semester abroad is first to get all of your required credits out of the way beforehand. This means that you will only need elective credits, which makes it a lot easier for your credits to transfer and count towards graduation.
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