What’s your name? Where’re you from? What’s your major? And where are you going abroad?
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| Oktoberfest 2006. Is it really worth going abroad for this? (Oktoberfest.de) |
These days, I feel like everyone is asking me where I’m going next year. When I tell them that I’m not planning on going abroad, they seem to pity me and tell me that I’ll be lonely, as “everyone” will be gone and I’ll be the only junior stuck in Philadelphia next fall.
Students seem split into two groups on the purpose of going abroad: the learners and the partiers.
Those who have spent years learning a language so that they can immerse themselves in a new culture often fall in the former category. And then there is everyone else.
College senior Becky Fogel believes that, “If you want something comfortable and safe, you can always go on one of those programs that is basically Penn-in-London. If you want to challenge yourself, go somewhere where English isn’t the first language or where none of your friends are going to be.”
Some students decide to go abroad to escape the academic rigors of Penn for a semester. “I think a lot of people from Penn go abroad just to take a break,” said Wharton sophomore Erin Shipley.
In many cases, the schools that students will study at while abroad will not be as high in quality as Penn. If a student isn’t going abroad for a unique academic program, then it might be smarter to stay here and get her money’s worth. Another benefit to staying on campus junior year is that students who do automatically have a leg up on gaining leadership positions.
Some students who chose not to go abroad are of the mind that their academics should stay domestic. They wish to wait until they truly have the leisure time to travel. College junior Beth Newton sums it up by saying, “If I can travel over a summer, not have to worry about school during the experience and not have to miss a whole semester at Penn, why not do that instead?”
Any student considering going abroad should honestly weigh the worth of a semester at Penn against the things they wish to achieve while abroad. Believing the talk of your friends, “can pressure students into going–because everyone else is,” says Newton.
“Everyone” will not be gone in the fall. Those who believe this type of hype obviously aren’t very good at making friends. There will be over 8,000 people still on campus. Meet some of them.
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December 1st, 2006 at 9:30 am
On the other hand, it might be worth it. There is comfort in not going abroad - - but our current POTUS is a frightening example of fatal global incuriosity. Why not do another blog with comments from students who think the experience of living and studying in another country has changed their world perspective (and their lives) in ways that campus leadership positions could not?
December 1st, 2006 at 11:56 am
I hope that this post does not influence anyone’s thinking about going abroad. Your argument that if you aren’t going to a “unique academic program” you would be better off staying here is troubling and completely misses the point of going abroad in the first place - to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself in new and different ways - to be independent - to realize that those leadership positions you covet here are really so trivial when you step out of the campus community. And “the learners” aren’t just foreign language students - there are plenty of ways to have an amazing study abroad experience (that doesn’t not consist of partying with other Americans) even if you don’t speak a foreign language - to suggest otherwise perhaps speaks more to your social circle than the reality.
Taking a break from Penn is a good thing! Its not something to be looked down upon - sometimes time abroad can help people realize their priorities and interests, and that they don’t have to get sucked into Penn’s vortex of competitive stress.
I have heard many people say they regret not going abroad. I have NEVER heard anyone say they regret going abroad.
Maybe you should think about it Chloe - its not too late for next spring.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I regret going abroad.
Waste of time and money with just lots of credits to be made up when I got back. Yeah, it was fun and all. But Penn has just as many pretentious people as France. Who woulda thunk it?
December 2nd, 2006 at 11:09 am
Here here. I wholeheartedly agree with this post. Go abroad after graduation, don’t waste money on non-Penn credits. Take the amazing classes they offer here. I don’t regret not going abroad at all.