#HonorsProblems: Studying Abroad

Today’s #HonorsProblems post is written by Ali Tran, a senior and SPA who studied abroad last fall at Peking University in Beijing.
Studying abroad will change your life. Period. Most students who have studied abroad will agree – there is no substitute for going to another country and living there for an extended period of time. No matter where you go – whether it is London or Beijing – the experience will teach you life lessons. Being in another country gives you the opportunity to see different points of view on history, culture, religion, politics, and more. You will create life-long memories, make close friends, and learn invaluable lessons about the world and yourself. Even better, you’ll have the opportunity to travel to places you normally wouldn’t have time to go to. The Office of Study Abroad (OSA) offers a plethora of programs and destinations to choose from, ranging from semester- to year-long programs during the fall, spring, and summer.
If you’re worried that taking classes abroad will mess up your busy Four Year Plan and prevent you from graduating on time, don’t worry! Many programs include courses that can count for your major’s requirements, and you can transfer credits from your abroad university to GW. The OSA study abroad advisers (not to mention the UHP’s resident adviser, Catherine!) are experts and can help you schedule your study abroad period into your Four Year Plan. The UHP SPA will also be offering a Study Abroad Workshop later in the semester. If you want to talk to students who have already studied abroad, check the SPA bios to see which SPA have a study abroad advising specialty, or just ask an OSA study abroad adviser for some contacts.
Wherever you go, make sure to stay in contact with the UHP! Send a postcard – or even better, write a blog post about your experiences. Keep calm and go study abroad!