First Year Student Living In Halls?
For most people the idea of moving to a foreign country where you know no one and don't speak the language is no doubt a scary prospect. Add to that the pressure of having to study for your degree. However, studying abroad is becoming increasingly popular with UK students and here's why:
Yes that’s a benefit. Throwing yourself into any exciting new challenge is always rewarding. In your time living abroad you’ll probably do a lot of growing up and become more independent.
No longer a privilege of the wealthy, there are now a lot of grants and scholarships out there for students who want to go to a foreign university. More and more students are studying their entire degree course in other countries and after the hike in tuition fees back home, this trend looks set to continue (tuition fees are a lot lower and even free in some countries)
Having international experience and the proven ability to adapt to new challenges and fit in in new environments is obviously an attractive quality for any future employer.
When you’re studying in the UK, even though you meet lots of new people, perhaps lots of challenging accents and phrases- most of the people you meet will be from the UK and will have had a somewhat similar upbringing. Studying abroad you’ll make friends with considerably different backgrounds and be given a broader perspective on what life is like in other parts of the world.
If you make efforts to immerse yourself in the life out there and make friends with the locals, you’ll be surprised how well you start to improve your ability to speak the language. So don’t let your study abroad friends talk to you in english all the time!
A great way to earn some extra cash (if you have the time while you’re out there) is to teach English as a foreign language. This can also be a great way to see if you like teaching before you commit to a PGCE back home.