Study abroad allows students to expand their horizons, augment their cultural literacy and hone their language skills. This opportunity is a unique one; Princeton represents one of the last times students will be able to grow in this capacity. Additionally, studying abroad provides unique insights into how other academic systems work worldwide and how the United States compares.
Leaving Princeton behind, even for only a semester, may seem like a tremendous loss for many students. Indeed, there are many aspects of Princeton that are not conducive to students studying abroad. Some students may want to take leadership roles in campus organizations during spring semester of junior year. Others may not want to miss a season of sports, and some may be concerned about the impact of going abroad on their chances of getting into a bicker club. Others may simply not want to leave a comfortable academic system behind. But with some forward thinking and some added understanding from campus activities, students may find it easier to make it out of the Orange Bubble.
First, students who want to study abroad should take it upon themselves to be proactive and start planning during their freshman and sophomore years. If students plan their classes and their distribution requirements well, there should be almost no academic reason not to go abroad.
Because of the critical benefits such an opportunity affords, the University community should make studying abroad easier. Student groups could be more understanding of members who may wish to study abroad, perhaps by making an effort to allow students to participate while abroad if they want to. A guide should be created for student athletes who wish to study abroad, and this guide should include information on the athletic training facilities available at various foreign universities. And while the University offers a great deal of financial assistance for study abroad in the summer by reimbursing part of students' summer savings requirement and funding many international service opportunities, it could make more funding available for summer coursework conducted abroad.
But in the end, it's up to students to take the initiative to study abroad. In making the choice, they should remember how much they learned during their first semester at Princeton, how new and exciting everything was and how meaningful those few months seemed. Put simply, the difference between seven and eight Princeton semesters is insignificant when set against the possibilities of stepping into the wider world.
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