Preparing for the Journey: The Reasons I Wanted to Study Abroad

When I was first thinking about where I wanted to go to college, my first thought was to go somewhere far, far away from my hometown. I wanted to live and study in a big city. I looked into schools in New York, Boston, and Seattle, among some others. That seemed to be my main priority – go somewhere where I could make a life for myself that would be bigger than the one I was currently leading. I didn’t yet know what I wanted, but I knew I wanted something more. When I got into NYU, it felt like nothing short of a dream. Until I saw the estimated cost, that was. I knew I had a decision to make, and no matter how much I tried to put it off and ignore the obvious, the choice seemed to be as clear as day from the beginning. The University of Iowa has one of the best creative writing programs in the country, and as an English & Creative Writing major – that’s about as much as you could ask for. I’m also from Iowa, so I’d be getting in-state tuition as well – with the understanding that I wouldn’t be getting as far away as I had once hoped.

To be honest, over these past couple of years as I’ve been studying at Iowa, I think the fact that I’m so close to my family and my home has provided me with a sense of comfort that I can’t help but feel is holding me back in a way. When I was senior in high school, the world seemed so big and I felt like I could do anything, anywhere I wanted. Now, it feels as though the world has become limited to the one I’ve gotten so used to, the one that exists solely within this two-hour driving range. But even despite these less-than-ideal feelings that have been plaguing me as of recent, I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to study abroad during my college years. To me, it always seemed like the perfect way to experience a different part of the world – taking place at this nice intersection of after we leave behind our childhood comforts and before we enter the even more uncomfortable jungle of the work force. College is the time of change and growth, and I’ve always believed having the opportunity to be somewhere so unfamiliar, to be faced with challenges I’ve never experienced before, to be out of my element in a sense, would provide me with countless numbers of lessons and ideas that will ultimately help me evolve into a better, more cultured, more confident version of myself – a stepping stone towards the type of adult I want to become.

As I was beginning this process of deciding to study abroad, I knew London was the ideal first option for me. It’s been a dream of mine to live in London for as long as I could remember. And no matter how much I explored other countries and cities, I always felt myself being pulled back to the place my heart was set on. The culture, the history, the literature – it all seemed to call to me from the very beginning. It’s one of the few things I’ve ever felt certain about. From there, I began consulting with my study abroad advisor – who directed me towards all the programs my university offered that were located in the U.K. He gave me many options to look at, and immediately the IES Abroad programs were what caught my eye. I was hooked by the level of accommodations that IES Abroad provided for its participants – two parts that particularly grabbed me was the on-site support from IES Abroad staff to help students abroad, and the personal advisor they provide you with to help support you as you embark on this journey. Everything IES Abroad possessed made the experience feel less scary and like it wasn’t something I would have to go at completely alone. IES Abroad seemed like it would provide me with the support I naturally assumed I would need, and for that reason – their University College London Direct Enrollment Program became the program I was set on, and the one I would ultimately be accepted into.

As I’ve been preparing for this journey, I now see London as my chance to remind myself of the way I used to feel about the world – how vast it is, and how it’s possible for me to be a part of all of it. I think I’ve learned it’s easy to get caught up in familiar comforts, but at some point – if you’re longing for more – it’s all bound to catch up with you. Sometimes comforting can become the most uncomfortable feeling. But as I look towards this journey, I feel uncomfortable in the best way possible. Because I know I’m looking towards something that will enrich me in ways I can’t even imagine yet. I’m looking towards a version of myself that I haven’t met yet, but am excited to. I’m looking towards a future where the world is a little more open, and the possibilities a little more endless. And I can’t wait to get started.