1. You could meet some of your best friends
I went into my study abroad program in London knowing only one person and I came out with a new set of best friends. Most study abroad programs are mixed with students from BU and other universities across the country so you can meet people you would have never met on campus or at other schools.
2. You get to learn a new culture or maybe even a new language
Since I studied abroad in London I did not need to learn a new language but I had friends who studied in non-English-speaking countries that got to learn a brand new language and expand their skills. I learned to know and appreciate a whole new culture while being in the UK and traveling to Europe. The times people eat dinner are different, the food they eat, the way they work, and so many other things. The pub culture was brand new to me and was something I ended up loving while in London. One thing that was super crazy to me was that they don’t really drink iced coffee there, and coming from the US where we love iced coffee and I am a huge Dunkin’ fan, not having iced coffee was a shock for me.
3. You get to travel a lot and for cheap
Skyscanner will be your best friend for good and cheap flights. The beauty of being in the UK or Europe is that you can get flights to so many cities for a good price. I will warn you that traveling can get very tiring and you shouldn’t feel pressured to travel every weekend or very often. Some of the places I traveled to were: Dublin, Edinburgh, Paris, Brighton (in the UK), Malaga, and Madrid.
4. COM gives amazing opportunities and has many specialized study-abroad programs
As an advertising major, I had a few options for study abroad programs that had major-specific classes available. The London Internship Program provided me with the opportunity to take classes and have an internship in another country. It was really easy for me to find classes that fit into my schedule and that I needed for HUB credits so that I was not behind in credits or classes needed for my major. I also had the opportunity to network and make great connections through my internship and I got to learn a lot about the difference in work culture and the type of work in the advertising industry.
