Ever since I graduated high school, I have valued living life with little to no regrets. This lifestyle is definitely easier said than done but also allows me to live freely and be me. I am starting my senior year of college this fall and can proudly say I truly don’t have any major regrets. Sure, maybe I should’ve worked out a little more or started studying way sooner for a test instead of waiting for the night before. However, my biggest regret thus far is probably that I did not study abroad.

I remember during my sophomore year, I entertained the idea of going abroad for a semester the following year but never acted on it or actually applied to go. In the spring 2020 semester, most of my friends studied abroad, until the COVID-19 pandemic eventually cut their experience short. The start of that semester is when I realized I should’ve tried to go abroad, too.

I have been out of the country several times throughout my life. But I don’t think anything compares to spending a collegiate semester or year in another country.

This is not to say that I have not enjoyed every moment in Champaign-Urbana, but I think your experience can really be enriched by immersing yourself into another country and its culture.

College is your time to learn about yourself and become more independent than you maybe ever were before and what better way to do that than to travel thousands of miles away.

I believe the best way to learn about the world is to go out and experience it yourself.  The University gives you an opportunity to do that and it all aligns with your curriculum so you still get a degree out of it with no extra time needed. It seems like a no brainer for people who want to travel and experience the world.

Over the years, I have heard people say studying abroad was a great decision for them because it was the perfect timing since their number one priority was getting an education. I have told myself that once I graduate, I will take a couple of months off and travel around the world to wherever I want to go. But the truth is, I don’t know what will happen once I graduate. The opportunity might not exist in the same, convenient way.

Again, this is not a decision or regret that keeps me up at night, but if I was to do college all over again, I think I would add a semester abroad to my itinerary.

To the students whose study abroad program brought them to the University of Illinois, welcome! I hope you are content and excited about your decision. Even though we’re experiencing major adjustments to schooling due to the pandemic, I still hope you have little regret about your decision.

Samantha is a senior in Media. 

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