My whole life I knew that I wanted to study abroad. It was never a question and always seemed like such an amazing opportunity to learn and grow. Here at UA, the nursing program is 5 semesters long, which is equivalent to about 2 1/2 years of your time at the Capstone. Getting the prerequisites for nursing school can be really difficult and time-consuming. On top of this, if you are still wanting to graduate in the usual 4 years, you have to be ahead in the program and on top of your academics. Studying abroad is a choice you have to make going into being a nursing major, and you need to plan accordingly so that you can make it happen.
For me, choosing to find a way to study abroad was a no-brainer. I attended the study abroad fair and was able to get information on the different programs offered through the university. There are so many amazing ones to choose from! I truly think that if a student is interested, they will be able to find a specific program to match their needs. Personally, I knew that I would not be able to study abroad for a whole semester in the fall or spring. This would be the ultimate dream, but as a nursing major, it is almost impossible to make that work. You would have to sacrifice an entire semester to not doing your coursework, and you would end up not graduating on time. As an out-of-state student on a scholarship, I could not make this happen.
Fortunately, there are so many AMAZING programs that occur over the summer! As someone who loves to travel, and with a summer to spare, the options were endless. Countless affiliate programs work with the university, as well as multiple programs run by UA professors. As I did my research, I found a program that matched the time I could be available and gave me college credit that I could use for my general education requirements.
The program I studied abroad with is called UA in Greece: The Cradle of Civilization. We were in Greece for three weeks in June, learning all about the culture and history of the iconic country. It was the best experience of my life, and I was able to meet other Alabama students who have the same passion for travel that I do and would not have met otherwise. If you are looking into studying abroad this summer, do not skip over the faculty-led programs! They are so cool because when you get back to campus, you have so many new friends from all different grade levels and a variety of majors. If you are a nursing student, going over the summer is the easiest way to make time in your schedule to study abroad. Finding the science classes you have to take will be very difficult in another country, but going over the summer allows you way more freedom to take classes that interest you and travel without setting you back an entire semester!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime because you didn’t think it was possible! Many people at the nursing school advised me not to study abroad, but I knew that I would not take no for an answer. I am so thankful that I was able to find a way to make it happen, and I will recommend studying abroad to everyone who will listen. Even if it was just three short weeks, it was the best time of my life, and I think about my time in Greece every day with such gratitude. The people you meet while studying abroad are amazing, and the life skills you gain from being independent in a foreign country are invaluable.
Now, how do I go back?! (I am already scheming other ways!)