Studying abroad is not just a wonderful experience, but it can bring change to your life for years to come. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. It can force you to become more thoughtful, outspoken, and well-rounded. However, you cannot expect the experience itself to do all the work. You have to take advantage of the opportunity you are gifted and run with it – use it to meet new people of vastly different backgrounds. It opens your eyes to different perspectives on issues you thought were simple. Or leads you to try a new food you were always scared to. Or lets you make a friend from the other side of the world. Everyone gets something different out of studying abroad – so don’t expect your experience to be exactly like your friends’. However, the uniqueness of the experience is what makes it so great.
Throughout my time in Australia, I have learned that many of the things I take for granted are vastly different throughout the world – the most outrageous of which is that iced coffee is almost impossible to find. But while these differences surprised me and, in some cases, made me feel uncomfortable, they gave me new perspectives.
My most important realizations, however, are on the importance of self-reflection. I have learned so much more about myself in these 6 weeks than I ever expected. At Northeastern, it is easy to surround yourself with like-minded people, and I often feel boxed into labels like “D’amore-McKim students” or “freshman”. These communities helped me find people with similar interests and make my first friends here, but spending most of your time with similar people can be dangerous. It can reaffirm incorrect stereotypes or judgements and create unnecessary divisions. Studies have proven and re-proven the benefits of having diverse groups of people working together, showing companies with diverse boards are more profitable and sustainable than companies with very similar people.
While I am by no means running a company, having my ideas and notions challenged can be enlightening. It brings forward parts of my personality I often hide and it helps me notice things I want to change. But this comes with growing pains, and it can feel uncomfortable at first. The challenge is to lean into the pain – into the discomfort, in order to make room for that growth. It can be easy in a new place to stay cooped up, boxed away with the familiarity of your computer and friends from home. In a world increasingly more similar, it can be easy to stick to things you know you like. But the initial discomfort of starting a conversation with someone new, or trying a different food, can lead to some of the best experiences.
