College is one of the biggest steps you will take in your young adult life. Your college years will help shape you and make you the person you’re meant to be in the real world. It is also the time for many new beginnings. From joining clubs and activities or moving across the country to your dream school, the things you experience in college could have a major impact on where life takes you on your own journey – and that is exactly why you should consider studying abroad.

I went on my travel study experience at the end of my sophomore year of college. I had recently changed my major from Business Marketing to Public Relations, so I was pretty new to my major. My advisor recommended that I go on my department’s travel study to China. At the time she recommended this travel study, I felt a bit overwhelmed because I was very shy, I didn’t really know anyone in my major and I was just getting into my classes. For a while, I told myself I wasn’t going to do it. I decided it just wasn’t for me. I had always dreamed of studying abroad, but I always told myself I would study abroad in a European country, so the idea of China was a hard one to wrap my mind around. But as these thoughts raced through my mind, that’s when I decided that my fear of going was the exact reason I should go. The next day I submitted my official application for this travel study.  

I am so thankful that my advisor recommended this travel study to me. Without this opportunity, I don’t think I would’ve ever traveled to China. Here are a few reasons why you should study abroad in China based on my experience:

• Studying abroad will make you a global citizen.

Especially if you open yourself to a destination like China. A study abroad experience to a country like China is absolutely life-changing. While you do engage in a lot of tourist activities while abroad, you also have the opportunity to experience local life and fully emerge yourself in their culture. A study abroad experience will help you change the way in which you view a culture – and once you return to your home country you will have a new perspective.

2. It will give you a new sense of independence.

While we were extremely busy during our days, we had a lot of free time to explore at night. There was one night in particular where I went out to dinner with a friend I had made on the trip. She had been to Asia before, and had a friend who lived nearby that she wanted to see. The tricky part? Figuring out how to get to our destination. When you are an American student wandering through Beijing, it can be a bit overwhelming when you don’t speak the language or know where anything is. But I truly believe that is the beauty and the challenge in studying abroad.

We eventually did find our way to the restaurant, and had a great time with her friend. While I did let out a huge sigh of relief after knowing we found the right place, I also felt euphoric in the fact that we were able to navigate where we were going in Beijing. This sense of independence has opened me up to even more experiences after arriving back in the United States, such as traveling by myself and with friends to Los Angeles and Chicago.

3. Make lifelong friends and connections.

In my case, I didn’t know anyone before embarking on the travel study. While I was nervous at first, I knew that this would just make me an even stronger individual once I put myself out there. I was going from Minnesota to Beijing, China with classmates I didn’t know very well – it was time for me to step out of my comfort zone. I honestly wouldn’t have done it any other way. I was able to create irreplaceable friendships on this travel study.

While studying abroad allows you the opportunity to have tons of fun at famous tourist locations, you also have the opportunity to make some amazing connections. During my time in China, we visited major companies such as Ogilvy, Coca-Cola and BMW. After each visit, I connected with each of them right away on LinkedIn and sent them messages thanking them for their time. Ever since then, I have kept up – to – date with these connections and have even corresponded with some of their network.

4. You are able to view your home country through another perspective.

One of the things I didn’t expect from studying abroad was viewing America from a totally different outlook. I was able to view America from a Chinese perspective, which unexpectedly changed some of my original views of my own home country. I think having the opportunity to study abroad in a country that is completely different than America was eye-opening and helped me to grow as an individual.

5. You will appreciate what you have so much more.

I grew up in a cozy house in northern Minnesota where my family was always around. Growing up, I always wondered what life was like for others. Whether it was life in a bigger city, or across the ocean, I was always full of wonder. I think that my sense of wonder is a major factor in why I decided to commit to this travel study.

During our time in China, we were able to experience it all. We were able to stay in a 5-Star hotel in downtown Shanghai all the way to a family farmhouse in the outskirts of Beijing, right near the Great Wall. Our time at the Chinese farmhouse truly humbled me. The area they lived in and the condition of their homes were so different than what I consider “home.” I went into the farmhouse setting with an open mind, and left feeling so grateful. This experience reminded me to count my blessings.