“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

There is so much to learn, experience, and try when you are away from home. Life truly goes beyond what most are used to when they step outside their comfort zones and travel abroad. It is an experience that allows one to gain so much more knowledge that they could have ever imagined. Traveling not only broadens one’s knowledge, but their sense of self. When one is gone traveling they are experiencing many different customs, traditions, and life styles. One can truly find themselves, and allow themselves to grow when going on these new adventures.

A great opportunity to take advantage of while in college is all the study aboard options. Studying abroad in college is not only an educational experience, but a life changing experience. There is so much advantage to being a college student traveling and studying abroad. I was able to have the wonderful experience going to England for an intersession abroad 2 years ago. It was the best decision of my life to go away for those 2 weeks. Not only did I learn so much with the course that I was taking, but I made so many new friends, and experienced so much of England’s rich culture and sites.

When going on a study abroad with school, it is a great opportunity cost wise! This is because you are paying SUNY tuition price, as opposed to paying private school costs or any other type of costs. Its works out to be financially more cost efficient to study abroad in college, because not only are you traveling and learning about the place you are in, but you are also getting college credit for it.

There are so many options to choosing your study abroad. One can choose an intersession abroad which is two weeks in winter, or a summer trip for 3-4 weeks, a semester which is 4 months or a whole year. I usually get homesick quickly, that is why I only went for the two-week intersession, but I think the best investment would be to go for a semester.  I quickly regretted not doing the semester when I was having so much fun when I was in England. I did not even feel like I was in school because of all the experiences educationally I was receiving.

Studying abroad is certainly something that a student should pursue, if they have the means of course. By embracing other cultures around the world, you open yourself up to a whole new set of opportunity. Who knows where your next job endeavor can come from? Who knows the relationships that you will establish along the way? There are so many things that students do not get to experience because of their lack of traveling. But, if the opportunity presents itself, jump, leap, stretch, grab for the opportunity to enthrall yourself in the foods of Italy, the architecture of Greece, or even the sheer beauty of the landscape of New Zealand. A whole entire world of possibility awaits the person who dares to take the chance. Is that you?

We are only this young once, and we will never get the time back or the opportunities missed in the future. Now is the time to go adventure and experience the world while we still have the chance. Going on study abroad allows us as students to be able to travel to different places, experience so many different cultures, and learn an endless amount of knowledge without having to sacrifice many things because we are still young and in school.

It is important that you do not just throw yourself into a situation where you hate the classes you’re taking, but went strictly for the scenery at your study abroad location. I would try and find a situation that was both educationally enriching and atmospherically pleasing. Secondly, allow yourself do not break the bank to go. If you can’t pay for attractions, then you’ll be sitting twiddling your thumbs in your dorm room. Look for a location that is cost efficient and financially affordable for you. Lastly, make sure that the place you choose is a place that you will feel comfortable in. The last thing you want is to feel like you made a poor choice choosing the study abroad location you picked.

When thinking about what Study abroad location to pick, the Farmingdale State College’s Study Abroad Website website has all the info you need. It shows a list of SUNY study abroad trips you can pick from, with information about each one. What is also great is that if Farmingdale is not offering a study abroad program you want, and another SUNY school is, you can still apply because it is all within the SUNY system. This means that you have so many options when choosing a study abroad of choice. I was honestly amazed at all the options that I was able to pick. Also the majors are usually listed next to the location of where the study abroad is. So let’s say you’re a business major, you are not going to go on a study abroad with all nursing majors. If there are also any concerns or questions, advisers can be reached in Laffin Hall room 320.

Time is ticking, and opportunities are waiting. There are endless opportunities right outside your door step, don’t be afraid to take that step and go for it. Being able to travel is a gift, so open it!

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read a page.”