Have you ever travelled abroad for a holiday and asked yourself: ‘How nice would it be to study here? Well, I could see myself studying in the Netherlands when I was there for a holiday! I think deciding to study abroad is one of the great decisions I ever made. Living abroad in a new country is one of the few life experiences that will change you completely. You’re never going to be the same person that you were back home. Doesn’t that excite you? Just imagine a new you. That is what it looks like studying abroad. Studying abroad changed my perspective about life and how I should live it.
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone
When I found myself in a world which is unfamiliar, I was forced to find my way around. I was thrust into a situation which was wholly unfamiliar and alien, so I had to trust my instincts to help me navigate this new world. The whole experience of studying abroad made me more independent. The newfound independence made me stronger and more resilient as a person.
There are several things that did change for sure, and they brought in a great improvement in my personality and thinking. I started to find myself, I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s the reality. Studying abroad doesn’t come without its fair share of hardships. You have to deal with different types of matters, related to accommodation, visa process, admission process, etc. However, I believe I came out stronger and developed a few qualities that I might not had if I never went abroad. I learned how to rely on myself when I found myself in difficult and challenging situations regarding studies and life in general. This whole process also made me learn a lot about myself.
Meeting new friends
Studying at the HZ University of Applied Sciences, gave me a lot of opportunities to travel and make new friends from around the globe. By coming in contact with different people, you start adapting to new cultures and circumstances. I personally believe it is the best strength one can have. Sometimes, things are happening so quickly around us that our success depends on how fast we adapt. The Greek Philosopher Heraclitus once said: “Change is the only constant in life”. I think if we start accepting this paradox, then we see each moment as a fresh opportunity which contains its own unique challenges.
I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world
Personally, studying abroad has offered me considerable opportunities to grow as a person, and I hope that I would be able to exercise the privilege to the fullest. I think what definitely makes me more independent and strong is that before studying/living abroad I tended to see opportunities, facts and problems in what they call ‘small world’ perspective. The way I analyze things completely changed when I realized how small my micro world was back home.
Even the value of things has changed; I have started to value relations & feelings, more than I ever did. Living abroad has allowed me to see more than I did before. It makes me more independent, more confident, more able to make timeline-altering decisions, and more willing to change myself. It has felt like ‘zooming out’ in life, if that makes sense.
So if you’re thinking of studying abroad, I would suggest stop thinking and start working on it because you definitely don’t want to say no to a life changing opportunity. Don’t wait for your ship, swim out to it.
