Every year, hundreds of thousands of students rush to the visa offices in a bid to study abroad. Parents also spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to expose their kids to international education. While many might think this is just the attraction of the glitz and glamour of a foreign nation, the truth is that studying abroad can help people professionally.
According to professionals who have experienced international study, “studying abroad has transformed them into competitive market players.”
Companies now seek those comfortable with the uncomfortable, and professionals who can adapt to different settings have ingrained the flexibility within them that international education can provide.
Let us go in-depth and see how studying abroad can transform you into the professional employers seek.
Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable
“You will thrive outside your comfort zone” is an adage that inspires professionals and students today. What is more uncomfortable than stepping on an unknown land, surrounded by unknown people, to absorb unknown knowledge?
The newness of the world that you will get when you choose to study abroad excites you at first, but soon, challenges surface. Small things become challenging, and your heart will sink in seeing some of them.
However, when you are studying abroad, in an international American University, for instance, you will need the strength to push past that discomfort. Overcoming small challenges will feel like big victories. You will feel elated when you accomplish even a small goal. Confidence will start to build, and you will learn to adapt quickly.
As you learn to move inside unfamiliar territories, the familiar won’t bother you. You will seek new challenges, and moving outside your comfort zone will become second nature to you. It will translate to you adapting and thriving in any environment, something that most global companies are looking for in their employees.
Developing Cross-Cultural Communication
You will thrive more in a global arena rather than in the comfort of a regional zone. As you step inside a foreign university, you will ask for help, which will open your mind to new possibilities. It will push you to become open-minded, helping you communicate with others and understand their ideologies.
Once your tasks are complete, you will be able to appreciate the diversity and awareness foreign education has brought to you. Not only will your education improve, but your life will also improve.
Having different viewpoints will help you develop lateral thinking. It will translate into better interpersonal skills, which global companies often seek. You can thrive in such organizations as you develop a habit of treating others with compassion.
Besides ideas, however, international study will help you develop an international vocabulary. You will be able to add another language to your communicative arsenal, which will make your personality more relatable. It is another factor that most companies worldwide appreciate.
Developing the Ability to Work Independently
As you leave your home behind, you are also leaving your support system. There are no shoulders for you to cry on and no one around that is familiar to you to help you out.
It will make you feel isolated at first. But as time passes, being isolated from the familiar will become your strength.
Every challenge you face, every budgetary constraint you will need to manage, and every bad system you’ll have to deal with will make you more reliable. Dealing with challenges will become second nature to you. It will help you thrive and become better and bigger than you could have ever been if you had stayed in a single place.
Simply put, with separation from the familiar comes isolation. With isolation, you will encounter challenges. And when you overcome those challenges, you can grow and work independently. Doing things independently will make you more versatile, boosting your career prospects.
What Challenges Will You Face When Studying Internationally?
In the previous section, we hinted that you would face the challenges of studying abroad. We associate overcoming them with your ability to thrive and boost your career prospects. But what are those challenges?
Feeling Homesick
Of course, when you are having an international study experience, you will feel homesick. The feeling of being away from your loved ones can entrap you for a while. While you can overcome this challenge by yourself, here are some tips for you to know:
Don’t Completely Isolate Your Friends and Family
Just because you aren’t in your family’s vicinity does not mean they are out of your life. Stay in touch with them. Talk to them regularly, and it will help you remain calm.
Go Outdoors
Go outside your room and the building to see what’s out there. Talk to those around you. Visit the places you feel good about. Find a public space that you can feel yourself settling in.
Issues with Language
The language barrier will be a factor when attending an international university. While English is common, and many universities you go to will have English-speaking students, sometimes, the accent can be troublesome. Understanding the different nuances of the language is the key to resolving this issue:
Read the Books from the Country
Reading books from the country your university is in will make you more comfortable with the region’s language.
Striking a Balance Between Learning and Fun
When you are in a new country, your wanderlust will likely emerge. You will want to check everything out and have fun with your friends. However, you still have academic obligations to care about. That means you must find a way to strike a balance between learning and fun.
Find Someone to Study With
If you can complete your assignments fast and learn quickly, you will have ample time for fun. So, find a study buddy and study with them in your favorite cafe or your room.
Taking care of these challenges will make your international study experience worthwhile in more ways than one. You will have to have fun, and as you learn properly while your mind is open and your horizons broaden your career opportunities will grow.
Conclusion
It is not just the allure of the location and the foreign region that makes people look for an international study experience. Studying abroad bolsters adaptability independent thought, and opens your mind.
These attributes will boost your career prospects, helping you grow quickly in the professional arena.
