5 Tips for the Perfect Semester Abroad (and How to Do It)

Studying abroad is one of the best decisions you can make as a college student. It’s a wonderful opportunity to earn credits while getting out of your comfort zone and exploring a new place. As an art major studying Italian, I took off for Milan in the spring of 2009, but I have friends who went everywhere from Thailand to Cuba over the last few years. I caught up with them and, surprisingly, despite how diverse their experiences were, many of their insights were largely the same. So no matter where you’re looking to go, check out these insider tips and you’re almost guaranteed to love your time abroad.

1. Keep a Journal

This is one thing that everyone recommended. I struggled with keeping a journal during my time abroad and, every time I read what I did manage to put down on paper, I wish it was more complete. Everything seems so vivid at the time, but memories fade. Not only does your journal become a precious keepsake, but "it gives you a reason to pay closer attention to your experiences", says one friend who studied in Salamanca, Spain. “One with pictures is even better,” she adds.

2. Don’t Forget Everyone at Home

One tip RaeLynn Erhardt (28, studied in New Zealand) gave is to not get so caught up in your time abroad that you forget everyone at home. "Keep in contact with your family—they do worry," she said. And not just your family, but your friends back at school, too.

Especially when you are in college, life moves fast, and you are inevitably going to miss things while studying abroad. Keeping in touch with everyone can help you feel more included and more up-to-date on what’s going on. I regret not making more of an effort to keep in touch with friends back home while I was abroad, because I felt a little distant from them when I came home, which was one of the reasons that coming back to the U.S. was actually more difficult than arriving in Italy.

3. Immerse Yourself in the Culture

If you’re in an English-speaking program or at an American university, keeping close to what’s easy and familiar can be tempting, but getting out and learning about a new culture will make the trip that much more rewarding in the end.

Also, learning the language becomes incredibly difficult, if not impossible, if you continue to speak English every day. Everyone I know who studied abroad stressed the importance of immersing yourself in the local culture, and stay with a host family if you can. Listen to the local music, and learn about the local religion(s)—without really living the local culture, you can’t fully experience it.

That said, Paige Reitz, 29, who also studied in Milan, encourages prospective study abroad students to not "beat [themselves] up if [they] walk by a huge tourist attraction everyday, but never make it in. Study abroad to learn about life and the other ways there are to go about it besides the one you lead in your home country, not to check of boxes on a ‘been there, seen that’ list."

4. Actually Go to Class (and Maybe Even Get a Job)

While some people treat their studying abroad courses as a slacker semester and blow off their grades, actually going to class is well worth it, Erhardt notes, even if all of your credits don’t transfer. You’ll meet people you wouldn’t have otherwise, and maybe even come across an opportunity for an internship through a teacher or fellow student.

I babysat for an Italian family during my time in Milan and that was the best choice I made—it gave me a glimpse into Italian life that I never would have seen otherwise. I picked Giancarlo up from school a few times a week and began talking with the moms who were waiting for their kids. It was fascinating, and I learned quite a bit about their lives.

5. Talk to People

"Learn the story of the old man selling produce outside your apartment. Introduce yourself to the shopkeepers and the small business owners you pass everyday," Reitz encourages.

Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime experience for most, and you’ll never see the majority of the people you come across ever again, so drop the embarrassment you would usually feel when chatting up a stranger and just go for it—you never know what the result will be. "Strike up a conversation on the bus and a few months later you might be vacationing with Guillermo at his beach house in Valencia (true story)," notes my friend who studied in Spain.

However, Ruth Isenstadt, who studied in Italy as well, reminds students to think of themselves "as an ambassador from America." Whether we like it or not, our actions abroad represent more than just ourselves, they reflect on our entire country and its global reputation, so keep that in mind and if you’re ever tempted to get a little too wild.

Originally written by RootsRated for Craghoppers.

Featured image provided by Thomas Shahan