The Power of Higher Education: The Benefits and Challenges of Studying Abroad
Higher education can change your future. It can equip you to grow exponentially in your career by giving you a strong foundation and skills. This increases both your earning potential and the career options available to you. While pursuing higher education, students often have the opportunity to study abroad. Whether they get to spend a semester abroad or more, students must try to use this opportunity to its fullest potential. This article emphasizes the key advantages of studying abroad and some of the ways to overcome common challenges during this process.
Benefits of Studying Abroad
There are many benefits and learnings to be derived from studying abroad. The biggest benefits of studying abroad have been outlined below.
1. Exposure to a diverse community
One of the biggest advantages of studying abroad is that a student can meet new people from different countries at a young age. This can expose a student to many new cultures and lifestyles. A student’s network also grows exponentially when they go abroad. This new network of peers and friends can help a student during their entire lifetime in many ways.
2. Learn a new language
Many times, when students move abroad, they will have to learn a new language in order to interact with the local community. Learning a new language has many benefits. It immediately helps your resume stand out while applying for jobs. It can also help students grow closer to the local people of the country and make them a support system when needed.
3. Enhances your resume
While moving and studying abroad, a student must be resilient. Successfully completing a higher education degree abroad means that a student does not give up even when they face difficult times. This is a very admirable quality to have, and hiring experts will note this favorably. Additionally, showing that you are not afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone at a young age can enhance your resume.
4. Life experiences
Once you are studying abroad, you will be pushed to try many new cuisines and activities. You might like to pursue a few of them. Every time you do something new, it will give you a valuable experience to remember. Put together, these experiences will make you wiser as you age. It will also give you many stories to tell!
Challenges of Studying Abroad
Studying abroad comes with its own set of challenges. However, determined students can overcome them. Some of the challenges of studying abroad and the best ways to overcome them are listed below.
1. Finances
Studying abroad can often be expensive, especially if the economy of the country you’re studying in is better than your home country’s economy. However, you can apply for scholarships and grants to help fund your education. You can enlist professional writers from a pro essay service to help you write a good scholarship essay to improve your chances of getting selected.
2. You have to live alone
For many students, moving abroad for higher education would be the first time they are living in a different country. It could be overwhelming for them to live far away from their friends and family. They will also have to do everything on their own without help. One way to address this challenge is by learning basic cooking and cleaning while at home. Students can also try to make a few friends in their University before moving so that they feel supported upon arriving in their new country.
3. Increased risk of feeling lonely
The first few weeks of moving to a new country to study abroad are always the hardest. It takes time to make new friends, and in the interim period, students are more prone to feeling lonely or depressed. During this time, it is very important that students take good care of their mental and physical health. This will help them adjust to their new environment more easily.
A Few Concluding Thoughts
It can be difficult and overwhelming at first to live in a new country where you don’t know anyone. However, students who brave through the initial challenges gain access to the opportunity of a lifetime. The benefits of studying abroad far outweigh its challenges. Students can also incorporate multiple solutions to address their difficulties while studying abroad. Finally, we wish students the best of luck if they are looking to study abroad and hope that this article has given them more confidence to pursue this opportunity.
About the Author – Andrew Mazur
Andrew Mazur is a student counselor. He works with high school students to help them figure out their life’s ambitions and how to pursue them. In his career, he has helped many students move abroad and establish a life for themselves in their new country of residence. He also publishes many articles for students on his online blog. They help students settle in easily when they go to study abroad.
