Lauren
Nursing school can be stressful enough as is. But if you've always had an urge to study to study abroad, it seems like it can make your time in school even more complicated. Although it seems tough to study abroad during the fall or spring in Binghamton's (or any) nursing program, summer and winter study abroad options are amazing opportunities and can satisfy your travel bug. With some research, careful planning, and persistence, you can be the next person captioning their instagram post "study abroad changed my life."
Here are some tips to help get you across the globe:
Plan ahead! Probably the most crucial tip of all - get started early. Start planning (roughly) what classes you need to take and when, and where you can be flexible. Most summer/winter study abroad programs are mostly general education or language courses, so be strategic about what classes you'd like to take at home, and which ones you can fulfill abroad.
Align your needs with what the program offers. Although we'd like to think the perfect program exists for exactly what we need, it is so important to be flexible with programs that interest you. There has to be some give-and-take when you're fitting this experience in, so don't be rigid about what you need in a program - it will work out!
Be realistic. Although it's more than possible to have a study abroad experience as a nursing major, it's more complicated than other majors because most classes cannot be replicated abroad. However, don't let that deter you from finding programs that work for you! You may have to work a little harder during the fall and spring semesters to find this opportunity feasible, but it's SO worth it.
Save up! Regardless of how long you are gone for, studying abroad is EXPENSIVE. Flights, weekend trips, few home-cooked meals, tourist activities, shopping, and textbooks add up extremely quick. Studying abroad is so great for academic, personal, and professional development, but be prepared for the financial undertaking before depleting your savings account.
Reach out! The first major step of learning about what opportunities work for you as a nursing student is reaching out for guidance. Reaching out to a peer who previously did a study abroad program (I actually asked a Decker peer advisor my freshman year!) is a great place to start for advice. Next, go to your school's study abroad office! The Education Abroad office at Binghamton is an extremely welcoming and knowledgable resource to find what program works for you. They also have information about other programs in the SUNY system that may also fit your needs and how to ensure the coursework transfers.
Studying abroad can be an unforgettable yet tangible experience, even for super-busy nursing students. Although it takes some work to get there, take advantage of the opportunity if you've always wanted to - it really can change your life!
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