As a Northeastern student, I have been trained to be forward thinking, seeking unique opportunities wherever I can find them. That is why I explored and pursued the opportunity to study abroad, and that is also why my experience in Rome has made me ponder what attending graduate school full-time in Europe in the future might be like. Then, naturally, when I visited my friend Carla in Bologna, Italy and saw her life as a foreign grad-student, I looked at her experience as a European graduate student critically. I tried to put myself in her shoes to decide whether or not pursuing a post-graduate degree internationally might be something I would consider.
The majority of what I observed of Carla’s study experience was her social life, rather than her academic journey. Nevertheless, the social and cultural experience that come with studying in a particular location can be deciding factors when choosing a school. After meeting Carla’s friends, each of whom was essentially from a different country, I realized how expansive my social circle and point of view could become by pursuing an international program. Spending time with this group of students was one of the few times in which individuals of my nationality were not the majority. In fact, I did not meet a single other American all weekend. I learned a great deal about international perspectives on politics, music, and social life. While this pushed and excited me during that single weekend, however, I am unsure of how challenging it would actually be to make a more permanent choice to distance myself from my country and its people.
Observing Carla’s life made me realize that there are marked differences between being a study abroad student and a full-time student abroad. While completing an entire degree program in a country would certainly be a more culturally immersive experience, I am happy that I am doing a shorter-term study abroad program at this point in my life. While I am making a strong effort to learn the Italian language and become accustomed to Italian culture during my time here, I also feel less pressure to become fully assimilated because I know that I am not trying to build an entire new life here. Carla, on the other hand, is looking to make connections for internships and jobs in Italy and has a higher incentive to become as “Italian” as possible. Putting oneself in a situation where learning a new language is necessary can be stressful and challenging, but it also will force him or her to gain a new ability that they otherwise most likely would not challenge themselves to learn.
Also, being an exchange student has meant that I have been part of a program with many other exchange students from the U.S. As I said in one of my previous blogs, this has put me in a bubble, but it has also afforded me a level of comfort and support while assimilating to a completely new place. If I were to return to Europe for a graduate program, I think that I would be much more prepared to live, study, and work in completely local situations because of the knowledge and skills I have gained during this study abroad experience.
I have met American full-time undergraduate students at the American University of Rome as well who have made me consider what that choice might be like. Those students, some of whom are just freshman, said they have various reasons for wanting to study in Europe, including cultural and academic draws and the financial benefit of study in a country where higher education is cheaper. My AUR roommate Piper had told me that she herself considered studying full-time in England, but that she chose a school in Pennsylvania instead because she wanted to have experiences and make connections in the U.S., as she saw herself living there full-time in the future. Her perspective made me realize that choosing a place to study is not just about what that place can give you in the present, but also where it can take you in the future.
Furthermore, another consideration a student must make when choosing where and at what institution they will study is the style of education in the specific country. I have heard from many of my peers and have noticed myself at AUR that the style of higher education in Europe – even at an American institution – is to have a few, large assessments as opposed to regular small ones. While this means that the world load is lighter, it also is a less interactive and more lecture-based style of education.
Additionally, receiving a degree from a specific country – especially a graduate degree in a specific field – can sometimes limit where a student can work in the future. For example, I am considering pursuing a career in law and know that if I do choose this path, studying in Europe would not be feasible. For another another field of study such as architecture or art history, a degree form a European institution would be less limiting and more appropriate.
I am not yet sure if continuing my education in Europe would be the right decision for me, but I feel fortunate that when it comes time to possibly make that choice, it will be an informed one. My experience studying in Rome and travelling around Europe while here will mean that if I choose to one day take a chance and move to Europe to work or study, I will have a frame of reference for my decision. I now know what the weather in Amsterdam is like, I know how the mountains of Switzerland look in the distance, and I know how busy Paris’s public transit system can be. While these details seem insignificant in the long term, having some frame of reference and sense of familiarity with these parts of the world could mean all the difference in the future.
