It is the start of the last term in the academic year! It feels weird that I am already at this point in my study-abroad experience. I have met few, if any, exchange students that had a year-long program and do think it is quite a different experience compared to only staying a single term. I feel like I am getting to truly experience living abroad. Most exchange students I have met have been from the States. In combination with only being here for a term, I think they feel pressure to visit many places in a short amount of time. I understand the compulsion and it is really convenient to do so once you are in Europe, but I think this contributes to a tourist approach to a student’s new home rather than a full immersion. I think that studying abroad is definitely worth it and if someone can only go for a term, for whatever reason, they should still go through with it. It is still a learning experience that has the potential to be fun and enlightening. I am just trying to convey that taking time to explore the city/country you moved to and being on the lookout for ways to connect with your exchange university can be just as rewarding as the ability to travel to other foreign countries. Due to the structure of our academic year, I think my university in particular is good for both.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Lancaster University