The word “freshman” has much more emotional weight than its definition would suggest. Often associated with angst, new beginnings and even bullying, everyone has distinct memories conjured up by that year (whether they like those memories or not).
So far I have had two freshman years — high school and college. Though I am likely in the minority, I love the feeling of being a freshman. Sure, it’s reassuring to know where to go, have a set group of friends and be aware of what professors, peers or food to avoid, but for me, being comfortable is boring.
The excitement of everything being new, wanting to make friends and that feeling of accomplishment that comes even when you’ve mastered the smallest of things (I was thrilled I only got lost twice freshman year of high school) is exhilarating.
Luckily for me, I am about to begin another freshman year. I am about to start a new school, in a new country, with completely new people from all over the world. I will be one of the 300 students from around the world spending a year at the London School of Economics as part of a one-year program called The General Course.
One of my main motivations for going abroad was to broaden my international horizons. Apparently, many other American students should follow suit. Current statistics have shown that the majority of American high school seniors cannot find Afghanistan, Israel or Iran on a world map, according to a recent study by National Geographic and Asia Society. Even more startling, American students rank almost dead last as compared to their international peers at knowledge of current events and geography according to the same study.
This is worrisome. How can the youth of today — the future of our country — tackle some of the most daunting tasks and problems to ever face our nation if they don’t even know where Afghanistan is? Though study abroad is certainly not a panacea to this problem, it is a step in the right direction. In order to understand the world, I firmly believe we need to get out and see it in whatever capacity possible.
Recently the results of the first ever survey about the benefits of study abroad were released. The study, conducted by the Institute of International Education for Students, says that “when asked about personal growth, 97 percent [of students] said studying abroad served as a catalyst for increased maturity, 96 percent reported increased self-confidence, 89 percent said that it enabled them to tolerate ambiguity and 95 percent stated that it has had a lasting impact on their world view.”
Over the summer I had a conversation with two friends — one had just returned from a semester abroad feeling that without a doubt the experience had changed her life for the better and one had chosen to stay in the United States.
My friend who didn’t study abroad said he had thought about it, but was so happy and comfortable at school he figured, why take himself away from everything he knew and loved? Why take a chance and go somewhere completely new and risk missing out? As he begins his senior year in college, he does confess that at times he regretted choosing not to study overseas.
Even though I am not technically abroad yet, I would only encourage my peers to embrace the opportunity to be a freshman again (bad memories aside) and step outside that comfort zone which can so often only hold you back.
Of course I will miss my family, friends and America while I am away. However, I know that in order to be the best person I possibly can be, I want to see as much of the world as I can. Having a global understanding and appreciation for how the world acts, sees and handles all sorts of issues differently is essential to being an informed, intelligent and open-minded young adult.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
