University students are increasingly studying abroad as a part of their studies. Do the advantages of studying abroad outweigh the disadvantages.

Many university pupils routinely study in other institutes around the world as part of their degrees.

Although

pupils struggle with cultural and linguistic challenges while abroad, they will

also

gain significant life experience that will reward them later in their career. In my opinion, students are far better off having studied in a different country despite the challenges that they inevitably face.

To begin

with, the greatest benefit of studying abroad is that youngsters will have life experiences that will improve themselves as

people

that would have been

otherwise

impossible if they had only studied in their own countries. Being in another country requires

people

to push themselves beyond the norm into unusually difficult experiences.

For example

, when I studied in Indonesia in my twenties, I was continually pushed out of my comfort zone into psychological states that were unique and novel and that I had to adapt no matter what. These ultra-challenging experiences are paradoxically the main advantage of studying overseas because they make you grow as a person.

On the other hand

, the main challenges that students will face while overseas will usually stem from cultural and linguistic differences. These differences can pose massive obstacles for

people

because they require one to move beyond the familiar and into the unknown which can often be awkward and scary.

For instance

, while studying in Indonesia I had to frequently make a fool of myself in order to communicate with the local

people

in their language. Oftentimes, I felt embarrassed and I longed to speak English and be in the familiarity of my own culture. To summarize, Studying overseas has become incredibly common. While students will no doubt experience social and language barriers, it is, in fact, these barriers that lead to the main advantage of studying overseas which is personal growth. As a contradiction of sorts, it is the hardship that ultimately makes the experience of studying abroad more advantageous than disadvantageous.