Choosing to go abroad in the spring semester of my sophomore year was an intimidating decision I feared might’ve been a mistake. Most of my peers had expressed their undergraduate timeline to include studying abroad during their junior year, so none had begun the process of enrolling and preparing the paperwork required. Without conversation surrounding the process, I struggled with the earliest steps, particularly understanding where to begin. Beyond this, I worried that going at a time separate from the pattern of my cohort would lead to me missing out on opportunities back on campus. In hindsight, choosing to go abroad as a sophomore was an excellent decision that forced me to branch out when necessary and gave me a leg up on off campus housing for the following academic year by avoiding subleasing.Studying Abroad as a Sophomore by Chloe Donahue
UMass’ Office of Global Affairs is an amazing resource for students who are interested in going abroad. One of the biggest challenges at the start of the process was choosing the correct program from a selection of many. While I needed one that offered classes to satisfy my major and gen ed requirements to keep me on track, I also hoped for a program in a location that matched my interests. Luckily, the peer advisors within the study abroad office are available for walk in appointments to discuss the options that students have. Speaking to other students in this role, many of which had gone through the experience themselves in past semesters, gave an honest and relatable perspective. They helped me narrow down programs by scanning their course catalogs for matches and narrowing down locations of preference. When I told advisors of my interest in art and history, they recommended a program in Florence that aligned with my academic goals as well as what I had hoped to receive from my experience.
Meeting with my academic advisor also proved to be just as crucial in making sure preparation ran smoothly. Initially, I had no idea how the variety of classes listed within the international university’s catalog would translate to satisfying the requirements I needed to fulfill to stay on a consistent path to graduating on time. My major advisor cleared up confusion by informing me that students must get classes taken for requirements preapproved by the department. Knowledgeable about what lines up best with the curriculum of my major, they recommended a list of classes that would satisfy the requirements I still needed to fulfill. Having a narrowed list of classes from an initial collection of hundreds that I knew would satisfy my remaining credits was a massive weight off my shoulders, as I was able to make a final decision based on what I was most interested in.
Before leaving for Europe, I had a lingering fear that going into a program knowing no one could end badly if I failed to meet people. Luckily, UMass’ study abroad program partnerships go beyond simple academics. My program, in particular, offered a wide variety of social events at the beginning of the semester designed to allow peers to connect with one another while navigating a new place. Going abroad as a sophomore, while initially a point of stress and anxiety of how things would go, turned out to be an experience that allowed me to grow both academically and socially. By seeking out the correct support system to assist with the early stages of planning, study abroad becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of the college experience.
