Make It Quick!
When it comes to studying abroad, there are many different options when it comes to how long you will be abroad for. Depending on your own personal preferences, choosing to attend a faculty led trip like I did will allow for a short but wonderful trip abroad. I personally enjoyed that the duration of my trip was about 2 weeks because it did not put a huge dent in my summer. I still had plenty of time to go back home and clock in some hours at work!
If you’re someone who wishes to explore whichever country you may be traveling to in depth, this might be a con for you. Although we did have plenty of time to go out and have fun while exploring new cities, we did not see as much as we could have if the trip would’ve lasted longer than 2 weeks.
It’s Harder to Get Lost
From my experience abroad, I also gathered that a student who struggles with planning and organization would greatly benefit from attending a faculty led trip. Because of the duration of the class, every hour of this trip is accounted for in your schedule. Luckily, we were given plenty of free time as well. Traveling abroad can often be intimidating to young and inexperienced travelers like many students, so a great way to gain experience is through a faculty led trip abroad! Having a specific plan and group to move with makes the trip flow a lot smoother in my opinion.
The Friends We Meet Along the Way
Of course, everyone makes friends while they’re studying abroad (I think), but meeting friends from your own university while traveling abroad is quite the perk to these trips. Instead of making friends you’ll probably never see again, you can make friends you’ll see in a few weeks when summer is over! During my time in Europe this summer, I quickly formed bonds with students in my class; some of which I still talk to daily. Studying abroad alone is definitely a lifechanging and positive experience, but if you’re a people person, I definitely recommend traveling with a class. It is a great opportunity to meet people in your college that you may have not met before.
The Downsides
Unfortunately, it can’t all be rainbows and butterflies. There are a few things that made the trip less enjoyable, one of these being the lack of free time. You’re only there a short period of time, so you’ll find yourself running from one event to the next for the entirety of the trip. Also, you will most likely have to share a room with a stranger. I was the lucky one in my class, and I did not. Everyone else did share a room, so don’t bet on having your own room.
