5 Reasons to Travel Around the World While You’re in College

If you had to leave your hometown to go to college, moving to a completely different country may sound very scary away. However, if you are embracing independence and only feel like you could use some more, then studying abroad could be a great thing for you. It takes a very particular type of person to truly appreciate the benefits of getting out of one’s comfort zone and embracing the unknown.

Here are 5 reasons to travel around the world while you’re in college.

1. Learn a New Language

If you took more than the obligatory two years of foreign language in high school, then you probably have a strong foundation for a foreign language at this point. If you were studying a language like Spanish or French, then there are plenty of countries you can visit where you can quickly improve your speaking and listening skills. After all, most domestic school programs teach you how to read and write, but when you’re immersed, you’ll finally get to improve your fluency and speak like a local.

2. Experience a New Culture

If you love learning about different cultures, then there’s no better way to enrich yourself culturally than by spending time in foreign countries getting to know real people. There’s only so much that you can learn by visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music. When you travel abroad, though, you will get a chance to interact with a foreign culture and gain some perspective regarding your place in the whole mix of things.

3. International Travel Will Never be Cheaper

If you are currently studying at a school, there are ways that you can get a full-ride scholarship to study abroad, even if you don’t currently have a full-ride scholarship. Plus, even if you can’t get a scholarship, most schools promise to keep your tuition the same no matter what country you choose for either a year or a semester abroad. The other thing you want to think about is that most countries offer student discounts on everything up until the age of 25, so if you are under 25, this is the best time to travel just about anywhere.

4. Make Lifelong Friends

If there’s one thing you’re going to be doing a lot of while you study abroad, it’s meeting new people. If you know what kind of career you want once you graduate, this will be a great time to network and get your name known. You never know what those connections could turn into.

5. Gain a Unique World Perspective

Most people like to claim that millennials don’t know anything about the world and politics in general. Well now is your opportunity to learn firsthand all about several different cultures and the political foundations that lead to the differences between our nation and others around the world. After all, you can learn so much more when you are interacting with culture, rather than watching news clips on TV.