10 reasons to study abroad - how it changed my life

Summary

In this video, Katie reflects on her year-long study abroad experience in Edinburgh, Scotland. She shares the top 10 benefits of studying abroad, ranging from building confidence and independence to gaining new cultural perspectives. Katie highlights personal growth, such as learning to travel solo, making international friends, and challenging preconceived notions. She also discusses how studying abroad allowed her to explore hobbies, gain deeper empathy, and discover unique aspects of American culture from an outsider’s viewpoint. Ultimately, Katie encourages others to embrace the adventure and growth that comes with studying abroad.

Takeaways

• 😀 Moving abroad for study builds significant confidence and independence, particularly through solo travel and navigating new social situations.
• 😀 Living abroad expands your ability to sympathize with new perspectives, as it naturally broadens your understanding of the world.
• 😀 Study abroad offers opportunities to explore who you are outside of familiar cultural structures, such as not being defined by past school experiences.
• 😀 Listening skills improve significantly when engaging with people from diverse cultures, as you are constantly learning from real-world experiences.
• 😀 Travel becomes more accessible, especially within Europe, and offers the chance to visit new countries and gain broader knowledge of different cultures.
• 😀 Making casual, short-lived friendships during study abroad can lead to enriching memories and meaningful experiences despite their temporary nature.
• 😀 Moving abroad makes you realize the unique and sometimes odd aspects of your own culture that you may have previously taken for granted.
• 😀 The flexibility in the European educational system allows more free time to travel, which can be planned around the relatively light academic workload.
• 😀 Study abroad provides ample free time to explore new hobbies and personal interests, which may not be possible when you're focused on a more demanding schedule.
• 😀 Keeping a journal and taking photos during study abroad ensures you preserve the memories and experiences that may otherwise fade with time.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Katie's video?

Katie’s video focuses on sharing her experience of studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, and detailing the 10 greatest benefits she gained from the experience, including personal growth, cultural insights, and travel opportunities.

How did Katie feel about moving to Scotland for study abroad?

Katie initially felt scared and unprepared about moving to Scotland, especially as it approached the two-week mark before her departure. However, she gained a lot of confidence and independence after making the move.

What is one of the key lessons Katie learned from her time abroad?

One of the key lessons Katie learned was how to build confidence and independence. This was especially evident in tasks like planning trips and doing things alone, such as dining or visiting museums by herself.

How does Katie describe the impact of studying abroad on her perspective?

Katie explains that studying abroad greatly expanded her perspective by helping her empathize with new experiences and see the world from different cultural angles. It helped her better understand people’s views and situations, especially in a global context.

What does Katie mean by 'exploring things outside of your context'?

Katie refers to the opportunity to discover who you are beyond the social structures of your home country. For example, in Scotland, people didn’t focus much on high school experiences, which contrasted with the American cultural interest in high school identity.

What surprising cultural difference did Katie notice between the US and Scotland?

Katie noticed that college sports and school spirit were much less prominent in Scotland compared to the US. In Scotland, there was little focus on sports events like football games or pep rallies, and most people didn’t wear college merchandise except Americans studying abroad.

How did Katie’s geography knowledge improve during her time abroad?

Katie's geography knowledge improved significantly while studying abroad. She realized that people in Europe have a broader understanding of geography, and she would often need to Google places or ask questions to catch up on locations and cities she wasn’t familiar with.

What impact did study abroad have on Katie’s ability to make friends?

Katie learned how to make casual, temporary friends, especially with people who were only studying abroad for a semester. Despite the short duration of these friendships, they created memorable experiences, like traveling together or exploring Edinburgh.

How did Katie use her free time during study abroad?

Katie used her free time to explore personal hobbies, like weight lifting, and to focus more on her YouTube channel. She found that studying abroad provided a lot of downtime, which allowed her to develop new interests.

Why does Katie recommend studying abroad in terms of creating lasting memories?

Katie highly recommends studying abroad because of the lasting memories and friendships it fosters. She kept a journal throughout her trip to capture experiences she didn’t want to forget, emphasizing the importance of documenting these moments.