Students tend to focus too heavily on exams, papers and textbook reading and forget that the most valuable part of the college experience is the ability to access opportunities outside the classroom. They ignore some of the most personally and professionally rewarding experiences as the seasons change and they become immersed in homework and class routines. 

Study Abroad is a life changing journey students tend to neglect because it seems far-fetched, too expensive or they do not have the time. However, for some people, a study abroad program is the only chance they will have to live in a foreign country.

Oswego State has now reached 20 percent participation for Study Abroad, a relatively high number. There are many benefits of leaving home all by yourself to live in an entirely different culture and learning to adapt.  It is both exciting and frightening.  Every step of the process, from applying to a program to returning home teaches students something new about life, themselves and their future goals.

The world is becoming more interconnected by the day, with new technology and globalization. Learning how to interact with people of another culture on-the-fly is an increasingly valuable skill. It is in fact the most notable skill students will likely acquire abroad simply because they have no choice. 

Employers, to a varying degree, are looking more and more to hire former study abroad students because it shows they are willing to step out of their comfort zones to challenge themselves. A study abroad experience proves to a future employer that an employee is open to diverse groups of people from different backgrounds and can approach unfamiliar situations with an open mind. 

The sticker price of some programs, plus airfare, housing, living expenses and transportation scares many students away. But there are ample scholarship opportunities through the programs, through colleges and even the federal government that prospective study abroad students do not know about that can drastically reduce the cost. Paying to study in a foreign country must be thought of as an investment rather than an expense if students choose to go. Students will return home with a whole new perspective on the country they lived in, as well as a new view of the U.S. and their old friends. Students will also be paying a fraction of what it would cost to spend a few months in the country of their dreams when they are older, assuming they would even have the time.

It is true that study abroad is not for everyone and could prove counterproductive for the wrong type of person. But for anyone even thinking they might like to travel to a foreign country to study, it could prove to be the best decision of their life.