I wanted to study abroad so badly that I actually wanted to go to a university in Europe for my entire undergraduate degree. But, at 18 I wasn’t exactly ready to be a continent away from my entire family, which my parents adamantly pointed out. The compromise we came to was that I could study abroad for the whole year. I had basically made my mind up that this was what I was going to do before I had even come to GW. However, I started to doubt my decision during my first two years at GW because I made a really amazing group of friends and I really loved living in DC. I didn’t know if I wanted to commit to being away for an entire year, especially because the majority of my friends were not planning on going abroad at all, so I would be the only one in my friend group who was gone for at least one of the two semesters I would be gone. In spite of this, I decided to go for a year anyway because travel is one of my biggest passions and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. As I reflect between my two semesters abroad, there are a number of reasons why I am fully convinced that going abroad for the whole year was the right choice for me.
I had a great first semester in Zürich, Switzerland. In only four months, I traveled so much and met so many people. That being said, I am not nearly done. Though I tried to make the most of my first semester, there is still so much left that I want to do. Studying abroad is such a unique opportunity that is unlikely to come around again, let alone again while you’re in your twenties. I luckily had insight from family members who had studied abroad who had wished they had been able to stay longer. All of my family and friends who went for one semester were not ready to leave and I completely agree with them. In December, I was definitely ready to come home and see my mom. I was in desperate need of American fast food (even though it’s the same restaurants, it’s not the same). But as I am writing this before January is even over, I am already ready to go back to Switzerland. I don’t mind not having some American comforts because I have realized how lucky I am to be having these experiences. One semester is actually really short if you think about it relative to life, but if you have any interest in going abroad for a whole year, take this as a sign to go for it. I am so glad I made this decision and I highly recommend it to everyone, especially if there is a lot you want to see and do.
Being away from my friends and family was really hard. I am originally from the midwest, so I don’t typically see my family much when I’m in DC normally, but I hadn’t gone longer than a month without seeing my GW friends since I met them. I saw my best friends every single day and one of them was even my roommate, so I was very uneasy about being apart from them because there will come a day where we won’t be able to just grab dinner whenever we want to. As hard as it has been, the experiences that I have had abroad have made it worth it. Part of the reason I was able to cope with being abroad is that I have really supportive friends who appreciated that traveling has always been my dream and who were excited for me to see everything. Studying abroad for a whole year works best when you have a support system. I know for sure that my friends will be waiting for me at GW when I get back. This was a very significant factor in my decision to go for the year.
Studying abroad is a challenging transition. I consider myself to be a pretty shy person who struggles with putting myself out there. It took me a little bit to adjust to life in Switzerland and to find friends who I really felt a connection with. If you are like me and take a while to warm up, this can make your study abroad experience feel even shorter. This is another reason that going for the whole year was a good choice for me. I already have a routine in Zürich, which will allow me to jump right into second semester and make the most of it from the very beginning.
Margaret Light
Academic Year 2024-25
GW Exchange - University of Zurich
Elliott School of International Affairs
International Affairs Major