Nerdify Reviews 6 Reasons Why You Should Study Abroad During Summer
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Studying abroad can be one of the most enriching experiences a college student has during their undergraduate studies. Many students who can financially afford to take a program abroad still refrain from doing so because of the logistical issues that come with being away for an entire semester. Many of the difficulties that come with organizing a foreign study program are alleviated by taking shorter international courses over the summer. Our Nerdify reviews experts explain below why studying abroad during the summer is an excellent option for broadening your educational horizons.
1. Condensed Learning
Unlike spending three or four months on each semester course, classes offered during study abroad trips typically only last about a month. While this means spending more than the typical three hours a week in each class, this concentrated form of learning is advantageous. It allows students to be even more engaged in the subject of their classes. Additionally, because study abroad classes are usually tailored to the host country, students are more immersed in the local culture.
2. Easier to Accommodate
With summer study abroad programs only taking about one month instead of three or four months like during a typical semester, organizing a summer trip is so much easier. You wouldn’t have to worry about finding a subleaser for your apartment or moving dormitories, suspending or paying for unused campus amenities, looking for long-term care for any pets, etc. Studying during the summer allows you to enjoy your trip without having the added stress of rearranging your life before and after the program.
3. Frees up Semester Schedules
Our Nerdify review experts note that students studying abroad typically only take programs related to their major. While this can be helpful for taking care of your specialized requirements, upper-level students who still have other requirements outside of their major—like general education, minor, or second major credits—might have difficulty completing those credits if they spend an entire semester abroad. By instead studying during May, June, or July, students get to finish a good chunk of major credits while also freeing up the remainder of their semesters on campus to complete those pesky general education requirements.
4. You Don’t Lose Time on Campus
Especially for upperclassmen in their final year or two of college, many Reddit users report that it is daunting to dwell on the fact that they only have a few semesters left before graduation. Many students want to make the most of the end of their college career—solidifying friendships, taking interesting classes, pursuing internships, and generally having fun. The idea of taking away a whole semester from the life you’ve lived for the last three-or-so years to go study abroad might not seem worthwhile. In doing an international program during the summer, you wouldn’t miss out on the experiences fall and spring semesters bring—and you’d actually extend the amount of time you spend with your college community.
5. Don’t Get Homesick as Easily
While many students are accustomed to not seeing their parents during the semester, and not seeing friends during vacation breaks, not being able to be with either group of people for an extended time is quite the adjustment, say users on Reddit. Additionally, it can be challenging to talk to those back home if they study in a country with a vastly different time zone, as it can be difficult to organize a call when their loved ones are free. That’s not to mention that if you study in a remote area, the wifi reception might not be reliable or strong enough to video chat with loved ones, say our Nerdify reviews experts. Studying during the summer eases those feelings of homesickness, as you’d only be without your friends, families, significant others, and pets for a month or so.
6. The Experience Stays Novel
People usually get accustomed to their new surroundings surprisingly quickly, which users on Reddit say happens quite often while studying abroad for a semester. By taking classes internationally for only a month or so, our Nerdify reviews experts say that it keeps the experience of being in a new place fresh and exciting. With only a month to experience all of the cultural wealth a country has to offer, summer students are much more inclined to go adventuring than semester students that might lounge around more often. Students leaving their summer-term countries often feel mixed emotions—ready to go home, but also missing the new country they’ve gotten to know. Though bittersweet, this is a much better feeling than being ready to go home weeks before your departure date, like some semester-abroad users on Reddit reported they felt.
