I love school, let me preface this post by saying so. I love learning, I love being in a classroom and I really love cracking open a fresh book. Besides that, I also love to travel! This is why I took an opportunity to move across the planet to do my post-grad. For a lot of you reading this, you are probably thinking, oh great this girl is going to tell me how to go to school forever, and maybe in some ways I am. But I learnt a lot doing my post-grad degree abroad. I think, that if you get the chance (and want to take on the student loans) then it is one of the most amazing ways to experience a new country.
There are tonnes of travel bloggers who love to say things like, “I Quit My Job To Travel” and “Why You Don’t Need A University Degree”. I also agree with both these statements, you don’t have to get a job that gives you that nine to five lifestyle, and you definitely don’t need to go to university. But, university isn’t all bad, actually it gives you crucial skills and an experience that you will never forgot!
1. You Will Be Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Whatever your reason for moving abroad, whether it is for school, a job, to explore, for family or for love, you will be out of your comfort zone right off the bat. You will have to find new “spots” and you’ll have to learn a new way of doing everything that you are used to in your life. Whether it is small things like where to find the cereal in the grocery store, or something bigger like how to actually get to school, everything will be new. Just go with it, and enjoy the new adventure.
2. You Will Meet Amazing People Doing Your Post-Grad Degree Abroad
This will take some time, that’s for sure. For a while, you might feel a little bit lonely and unable to find people to really connect with in your city. The best thing about moving to do your post grad degree abroad or for a job abroad, is that you will find connections really quickly. Join clubs, get involved in the community and do things you normally wouldn’t. After a while you will wonder how you ever lived your life without knowing the amazing people you met abroad.
3. Exploring A New City Is Amazing
When you travel you get to see a new city, but whether you are there for a few days or a few months, you still only get to scratch the surface. When you do your post grad degree abroad, you get to explore a city for two whole years. That means you get to find little things that you would only come across if you were actually living, commuting and experiencing a new city like a local. During my time in Sydney, I found restaurants, coffee shops, and places that I loved to go to, but would have had no clue about from the tourist books.
4. You Get To Live Like A Local – With Student Discounts
There are A LOT of pros and cons to being a student, actually there are sometimes way more cons. Like, you have to spend your time studying, and you can’t work full time. But, in most places, you get some pretty sweet discounts for being a student!
5. You Can Go To An Amazing School
When you decide to do your post grad degree abroad, you open up the entire world to yourself. All of a sudden you picture yourself writing a paper while sipping wine in Italy, spending your afternoons surfing in Bondi or exploring the ancient castles in England. Not only can you pick a great city, you can pick a school that is one of the best!
6. You Will Meet Brilliant Academics
One of the best things about doing a post grad degree is that you get to interact closely with your instructors and the academics who work in the department. You really get to dive into their expertise and know what they have done in their careers. You get awesome advice about your future career in your industry.
7. You Will Get To Meet People From All Over the World
Many, actually I’d say most, post grad degrees are filled with a mixture of people from all over the world. People fly to their new home for two years and are excited to share their background and knowledge! This not only lets your class discussions be filled with a variety of opinions and interests, but you also end up with friends that are scattered across the planet!
8. There Will Be A Tonne of New “Study Snacks”
So, I can’t mention moving abroad without talking about food. Not only will you find a new coffee drink to get you through your late night papers, but you will be overwhelmed by a whole gambit of new study snacks! I loved the candy in Australia!
9. You Get To Experience A New Way of Learning
So, one of the coolest things I learnt while going away for my post grad is that every country has a different way of learning. You will find that different countries want different things, and you will see how classrooms and academics work slightly differently all over the world.
10. You Will Learn More Than You Could Have Dreamed While You Do Your Post-Grad Degree Abroad
I learnt what I went to Australia to learn. I finished my degree and I appreciated all the hard work that I went to learn. But I took away so much more than that. I learnt how to live across the world. I learnt some cool lingo. I learnt my way through an entirely new country.
I got to travel, adventure and explore! It was worth it and more! So I am going to say this, if you want to do your post-grad degree, do it abroad!
PIN ME!!
