How to Stay Strong During Exams

 

Exams can be tough even for the brightest student. They come with a lot of anxiety and pressure to complete the exam on time while providing the right answers. A few questions down the line, you will feel physically and mentally exhausted to the point of giving up. 

Maintaining a level head during exams enables you to provide the right answers and earn the best grades. Your arguments will be compelling through to the end of the paper. Here are a few tips on how to remain strong during exams to guarantee a sterling performance. 

Study intensely 

Attend all the classes as indicated in the timetable. Cover all topics indicated in the course outline. Revise your notes adequately before the exam. Such level of preparation gives you the confidence to tackle every question. 

Get homework help from professional writing services online, an example is https://mypaperdone.com/do-my-thesis leaves you with more time to revise for the exam without panic. You can also study using diverse materials that help you to understand the topic better. 

Study with the exam in mind. Spend more time on the subject before the exam to refresh your memory. The exam timetable will help you to revise adequately for each paper, enhancing your results in the process. 

Take mock exams 

Mock exams give you an idea of what to expect during the exam. You can see the structure of the questions and develop a strategy on how to tackle these questions. By the time you are sitting for a similar paper, nothing will come as a shock. 

A mock exam also helps you to develop the right strategies to tackle the exam. For instance, you can measure your speed in tackling one section, and decide where to start. You avoid wasting time on difficult questions or sections at the expense of another area where you could have scored better. You can create an environment that is similar to what you will find during the actual exam. It will reduce the tension and anxiety that comes with exams. 

Know what to expect 

What is the scope of the exam? How many questions and sections will the exam present? How many questions are you expected to complete, and how many marks will you get? How much time will you be given to complete the exam? Are you expected to carry any special materials like books or calculators? Will the exam be in the morning or afternoon? 

Knowledge of what to expect enables you to prepare adequately. You will not be shocked to find a topic that you have not covered or revised. It is also a chance to allocate your time and energy reasonably through the questions. Take a similar exam from the past to determine your performance and the areas where you can improve. 

Sleep enough 

Fatigue, burnout, and sleepiness will make it difficult to tackle your paper. Lack of enough sleep affects your ability to concentrate. Even the simplest questions will feel difficult because the mind is not functioning optimally. 

Study long before the exam to avoid rushing at the last minute. Do not extend until late at night on the day before the exam. Sleep in a comfortable bed and for enough hours. Enough sleep gives you adequate physical and mental energy to handle any exam. 

Ace the continuous assessments and coursework 

Perform well in your coursework and continuous assessment tests. Avoid penalties in your coursework to guarantee maximum points. Continuous assessment tests account for a substantial part of your grade. Once those marks are in the bag, the pressure to perform in the final exam reduces. You can maintain a level head and approach the questions calmly. 

Work on your speed 

The speed with which you write the exam will determine the overall experience. Avoid panicking by increasing your writing speed. Study the topics thoroughly so that the ideas will flow naturally when you are answering questions. Use mock exams to determine your speed and identify areas that require improvement. A decent speed will give you room to revise and edit your answers before submitting your paper. 

Learn to meditate 

Meditation keeps you calm. It also helps you to focus on one task at a time. Train the mind to maintain focus on the exam instead of worrying about difficult questions or running out of time. The experience of meditation also enables you to generate excellent ideas while you write your paper.

Relax while you write the exam 

Get to the exam room early to avoid panic and rushing at the last minute. Prepare all the items you need for the exam. Tackle the questions you understand first and avoid worrying about the difficult ones. A relaxed approach will also enhance your insight when writing the paper. 

Worry and lack of preparation will weaken you when preparing for an exam. Review the expectations and scope of the paper to guide your preparation. Relax and enjoy enough sleep on the day before the exam to enable you to maintain a level head.

How Parents Can Support Their College Students 

College students, especially freshmen, may find it difficult at the beginning of their education sojourn. Hence, they need their parents’ help in many ways. This could be directing them to where they can ask to write my research paper or get economics homework help, or getting them a specialized helper on their economics policy assignment, etc.

Parents need to know the things expected of them to ensure they play their roles perfectly. Here, we look at ways parents help their wards get through the early years of college with their support and things they should avoid.

7 Ways You Can Support Your Child, As a College Student

The popular belief is that you don’t have much role to play when your child enters college. However, this isn’t a fact. As much as you want your child to be independent, certain duties are expected of you towards your child. They include:

1. Be Available to Listen

The college experience is usually strange to students at first. This strange feeling may last days, weeks, or even years for some. Hence, they constantly need someone they feel safe with to share their challenges, vent, or complain. As the great parent, you are, you need to be available most of the time to listen to these rants and calm them.

Being a safe spot for your child can be super helpful. The greatest feeling is knowing your loved ones truly love you and care. This is the exact message being attentive to their complaints brings. Offering a listening ear is the least you can do to support your child in college.

2. Don’t Just Listen, Advice!

The reason why they talk isn’t only because they want to be heard. They also need guidance. As a parent, you should be able to give your child useful tips to help them get through challenges easily.

It could be forming study groups, developing a great study habits, building good relationships with academic advisers or professors, time management tips, and others.

The type of advice depends on the challenges your child is facing. Irrespective of the challenge, it can’t be greater than your experience. Hence, always ensure you offer relevant advice.

3. Periodic Visitations

There’s a need to strike the perfect balance between not making your child feel neglected and not making him feel restricted. Hence, your visitations should be minimal, but ensure you’re always punctual on agreed visitation days. You must discuss with them on days you can visit and days you can’t.

It is equally important to ask if they’re fine with visitations. If your child chooses not to be visited, you can choose other alternatives for showing support. College students love to express their independence, and you should give them a chance to. However, do not make them feel abandoned.

4. Financial Aid/Support

This is another important role you have to play. Whether your child is at college under a sponsorship program, they have a paying side hustle, or there’s a sponsor, you have to offer your financial aid as little as possible.

This has a positive psychological effect on the child. It makes them realize they’re still your priority and bond you share is strong, and the love is pure. It is a way of incentivizing their efforts and urging them to do more.

5. Help them Look for Tutoring and Assignment Help Platforms

If your child prefers studying alone to studying in groups, specialized tutorials and assignment help platforms can greatly help the child. College students usually have truckloads of assignments with limited time to handle them.

This problem is made easier for them by online tutorials and assignment aid platforms. There are many kinds of these platforms, but only a few of them are reliable and trustworthy. Therefore, you should make a list on your child’s behalf to reduce exposure to scanners.

6. Show up!

Always show up for your wards when they need you. This could be attending their presentations if invited, being present at their shows, and cheering them on from close range if invited.

It’s important to free your schedule and ensure they can count on you most when there’s a need for that. Showing up is another simple act with great psychological effect. It helps you keep your child’s trust in you and love for you at an optimum level.

7. Be Their Motivation

The fact that your child doesn’t have to search far to draw inspiration or feel motivated is one of the best forms of support you can give. Ensure they can find assistance, peace, encouragement, and deep motivation from you.

This will spur them through whatever challenges, no matter how hard they may seem. At some point, everyone loses their will and drive to push on. However, constant motivation can be the propelling fuel to make them try again. This motivation is more effective when it comes from parents.

Wrong Approaches to Supporting College Students as a Parent

Certain things look like support or endeavor to bring the best out of your child, but they’re not. Most times, their effect is usually the opposite of what you desire. These things include:

High expectations

Placing too many expectations on your child causes unnecessary pressure. It is hard to perform efficiently under intense pressure, which is why most college students do not end up with good grades. Expectations may be how you expect your child to behave (speaking, dressing, specifying the type of association they should keep, etc.).

It could be in terms of academic performance or expecting them to find their way around situations without proper guidance. All these may seem like support or motivation, but they are far from it and would likely have a negative effect.

Treating them like kids

Understandably, you want the best for your child, and your actions are from a place of genuine concern. However, it’s high time you understood that they now have rights to their life and can make certain decisions themselves.

Your role is limited to listening, advising, and offering proper guidance. You should understand that your opinion may be good but not good for them. Hence, at this point, you shouldn’t be hell-bent on having the final say.

Buying the way out for them

Excessively relying on money and not making them solve some challenges themselves isn’t support. It could have negative effects in the long run.

An example of this is allowing your children to constantly buy homework on assignment help platforms.

Excessive Visitation

Visiting your child in college excessively isn’t support any longer. It is now more of distraction, restriction, and monitoring. It is important that parents know whether to draw the line to avoid consciously or unconsciously making this mistake.

Showing up is great; it is recommended. However, showing up excessively or unnecessarily isn’t the best approach. Your presence will become less appreciated, and it will feel more like a burden in the long run.

Final Words

College students do not have it all figured out, and they need some form of help. Parents are in the best position to provide them with this help without feeling indebted or vulnerable.

Parents can offer their support in numerous ways, from merely being attentive to providing financial aid, making periodic visits, and giving the best advice. However, some forms of support can end up having negative effects. Hence, there’s a need to discern the good from the bad and strike a balance.

Read more articles like these on Puckermob.com

Persuasive Writing: Convincing the Reader With Logical Arguments in an Essay’s Narrative

Persuasive writing essays are written to make the reader believe the writer’s point of view. Well-written persuasive essays can do just that.

When a persuasive essay is well written, the writer can make her readers believe the defending statements in her writing piece. Her points of view are strong and well-articulated, sound, and well-researched. As an essaywriter, I can say that this is the purpose of persuasive writing – convince the readers that what she’s written is a fact, and written with reason and logic.

How to Choose an Original Topic for a Persuasive Essay

The best solutions are sometimes the simplest ones. To sound convincing, you should choose a topic you know very well. Subjects connected with hobbies, computer games, movies, animated films, and sports as well as shopping – can all constitute your area of expertise.

List of Sample Persuasive Essay Topics

● Can computer games have a bad impact on gamers’ behavior?
● Can computer games be educational?
● Should educational computer games be used in class?
● Should children be allowed to play computer games only at some specific age?
● Are fan-made computer games a violation of copyrights?
● Should all computer games be censored for adult content before their release?
● Should producers of exceptionally violent computer games be persecuted?
● Should Japanese anime be censored for adult content even if they are not considered so in Japan?
● Should all cartoons have a moral?
● Are horror movies immoral?
● Is shopping for fun harmful entertainment?
● Should shopping centers be open on Sundays?

Outline The Persuasive Essay

Before writing, the writer should gather her research materials to outline the persuasive essay. Look at both sides of the argument and note their strengths and weaknesses. And be well informed before writing a persuasive essay.

Structure the essay, but logically outline each point. The writer should first, formulate the views she wants to convey to state the point of her main argument. This, however, should be stated in the closing summary. Using research materials, the writer should list a few points of view that will argue against her own, and beneath those, she should list statements that support her points of view.

Persuasive Writing Essay Introduction

Taking into account the characteristics of persuasive writing, it is possible to conclude that persuasive writing usually begins with a bang. The writer will grab the reader’s attention by stating an interesting fact, offering a historical anecdote, using metaphor, or asking a question that requires an answer. This is the hook, a form used to keep the reader reading.

The introduction should do just that – introduce the topic of the persuasive writing essay, and give the reader a strong sense of what direction the writer is taking the rest of the essay.

Writing Persuasive Arguments

Writing persuasive arguments that do persuade the reader, can be done if the writer anticipates opposing arguments and can argue against them to back up her statements. Each paragraph should be written to convince, strongly arguing one side over another.

1. Back up each point with a convincing reason. Write assuredly for credibility. If the writer doesn’t believe her statements, nor will her readers.
2. The writer should stay focused on writing persuasive arguments without veering off the path into other subjects. Stay in control of the flow of the piece.
3. Ensure there is action to the subject. Use active voice for clear, concise statements. Be direct.
4. The writer should also offer evidence that will support her point of view. It could be written as an “According to …” source reference.
5. Repeat your point, but in several different ways, such as using an example or referencing an expert.

Persuasive Writing Essay Conclusion

The conclusion of a persuasive writing essay summarizes the main points of the piece. The writer may paraphrase some points to remind the reader. This repetitive form serves to drive home the message.

The conclusion could also offer a cause and effect statement such as “This is what will happen if this happens.” She could finish with a recommendation or a way to fix a problem. Or she could conclude with a question to leave the reader thinking.

Well-written persuasive essays do more than persuade. They are interesting and provocative, convincing the reader that the writer is an authority in the field. The work is written to be believed.

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About the author

Bianca J. Ward is a professional online essay writer at EssayWriterFree where she provides people with qualitative works. Besides, she is a passionate photographer and traveler who has visited 52 countries all over the world. Bianca dreams about creating a photo exhibition to present her works to others.

Benefits Of Online Study Portals In The Life Of A Student.

Your digital marketing strategy probably includes many tactics that help recruit international students. How can you choose the best channel to reach the most people? A survey was conducted of recruitment and marketing professionals working in foreign universities. Among the respondents, online study portals were viewed as having the most incredible marketing value, esteemed 29% and content marketing was also highly esteemed 21%. 

 

The purpose of this article is to reveal to you some of the most important advantages offered by online study portals in the life of a student. As you read the article further down, the benefits of online study portals will become apparent. These are the reasons why online study portals are so valuable to students who are planning on studying abroad but lack the necessary resources. In this situation Research Prospect Offer Scholarships to students and also offer Dissertation help with 24/7 support.

 

Improve The Quality Of Online Services

As well as highlighting your institution’s academic offerings, online study portals also provide promotional material that illustrates your institution’s educational profile. There are numerous websites that provide helpful resources, such as tailored newsletters, emails, and advertisements to direct students to universities that are right for them.

 

Ranks Higher Than Your Institution’s Website On Search Engines

The most common terms students use when searching for studying abroad ensure that links to online study portals. This will always show up in Google’s natural search results.

 

Adapts To Today’s Learners’ Needs

International students are fast consumers of online resources, with the urge to access and compare information in a very short space of time. Answering these concerns, online study portals provide a convenient and simple method of discovering study abroad options offered overseas and are a valuable resource to students throughout their participation in international studies.

 

Global Reach And Brand Exposure

Providing accessible services to thousands of students every year, these study portals eliminate distance barriers and make available your university’s course offerings along with the university itself from wherever students are located.

 

Education Equals The Chance To Succeed

Regardless of race, age, gender, social class, cultural background, or financial situation, online study portals are accessible to everyone so everyone can find an international education that fits them.

 

Quick note: If you are planning to write an essay, then Essays.Uk Is an Educational Blog where you can learn Essay writing, Dissertation writing and more.

 

Affordable Over The Long-term

Online portal users commonly achieve better results each year as a result of their ranking becoming more prestigious. On top of that, online study portal programs continue to be more affordable than other forms of marketing via paid advertisements or promotional material that is based on CPA.

Equal Opportunity

University portals enable all universities to have equal access to their programs online, giving users an overall view of their profile and program.

 

Easy to attribute value to this channel

Online study portals come with tools that make monitoring results and data easier. In this way, your marketing strategy can be evaluated on the basis of leads generated by click-throughs generated at any given moment. There are now many online studying platforms that provide sophisticated tracking tools that help universities follow students’ progress, targeting the best prospects along the way.

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Best Tips & Tricks to prepare DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant 2021 Exam

The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection (DSSSB) conducts various recruitments examinations for the Nation’s Capital Territory of Delhi. Each year, the DSSSB hires for multiple positions like LDCs, Junior Engineers, Junior Secretariat Assistant, and several other groups B and C positions. If you are a DSSSB aspirant, then go through the DSSSB LDC Preparation Tips below.

 

DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant 2021 Exam Preparation Tips

The DSSSB Junior Secretariat examination consists of a single level through an online test. Therefore, the students need to have complete determination to prepare for their DSSSB LDC examination in 2021. The students need to follow the proper preparation strategies, tips, and tricks that will help them to guide and prepare their syllabus accordingly. 

The students must cover all the relevant topics for their exam, especially those frequently asked. Therefore, you need to go through the syllabus of DSSSB LDC and the examination pattern while you are preparing for it. In addition, the students must anathe question papers of the previous years, make a list of the relevant topics and those topics that have more chances of questioning. After getting familiar with these details mentioned above, you can prepare for your DSSSB LDC 2021 Examination.

● Practice

After making a proper strategy to prepare for your exam, the students need to practice a lot. They can look at the previous year’s question paper and attend the mock tests. It will help them to have well versed with the nature of the exam and the question pattern. The students can also identify their strengths and weaknesses by going through the syllabus and can make further improvements for their learning.

● Accuracy and Speed

While the students practice different types of questions, they must work hard on their accuracy and speed. Therefore, it will help them get maximum marks, and they can attempt a maximum number of questions while giving the exam.

● Revise the important topics

Finally, after the preparation of the relevant topics, the students must revise all the topics for the examination. It will help them to remember each subject at the time of examination if they go thoroughly.

Section-wise Syllabus for the DSSSB LDC Exam Preparation Strategy

For your DSSSB LDC Preparation strategy, you must follow the section-wise syllabus listed below.

General Awareness syllabus:

● Current affairs
● Static GK
● Indian Polity

Reasoning Ability and General Intelligence:

● Analogy
● Classification
● Series
● Direction and Ranking
● Dictionary Order or Formation of Words
● Blood Relation

English Section

English is the most crucial section for the DSSSB LDC examination. However, several candidates struggle with this section.

● Prepare a timetable. It will help you to ensure to cover all the essential subjects.
● Try to practice English every day and make it a habit.
● The students must read a book or a newspaper regularly. It would help them to solve their reading comprehension faster in the examination hall.
● The students must revise the rules of grammar regularly.

Reasoning Ability and General Intelligence

The general ability and reasoning section in the DSSSB LDC Exam is at a moderate level. Most of the students are comfortable and find this section easy, yet they do not score well.

● The students must go on practicing the same topics. It will help them to become more confident of the relevant issues.
● They must understand the concept of every topic properly.
● The students must try to memorize the number value of tables and alphabets that are quite pre-requisite.
● The reasoning section is full of tricky questions. So, the students must practice based on these tricks. It will help them fetch maximum marks and save a lot of time and energy in the examination hall.

General Awareness

At first, please list the crucial topics that have maximum marks and then prepare those topics based on their weightage. The students must remember to go through the current affairs at least for the last four to five months as it is essential. Also, the students must not forget to revise their chapters thoroughly regularly. Finally, they must practice the quiz and take mock tests.

Hindi Section

The Hindi section is essential for the DSSSB LDC Examination. Many students are already well versed with this language, and they have an advantage in it. However, the students must practice and make it a habit to improve further in this section. Try to make a timetable and finish all the relevant topics. In addition, the students must remember to revise the Hindi Grammar Topics and its Rules.

Some Additional Tips for DSSB LDC Exam Preparation

After adequately going through all the above-mentioned topics, you must be clear about preparing for your DSSB junior clerk preparation. Now there are some additional tips below that you must keep in mind while you are preparing for your examination. Each subject will have its requirement and based on these the students must spend their time and energy. Some of the essential preparation tips are given below:

● Time management is essential for this examination. There are 200 questions in total, and the students must complete them within two hours only. Therefore, the students need to answer quickly and cannot spend more time on each question in the exam hall. They need to answer every question accurately.
● The DSSSB preparation strategy requires an active nature and the mental stability of all the candidates.
● The students must have a good speed for typing. They must type at least 35 words in the Hindi language and 30 words in the English language. It is also essential for job purposes.
● The students must have excellent and constant practice on the numeric topics. The more you practice, the more it will clear all your doubts and the concepts with time.

After adequately going through the entire article, you can now be clear and have an idea about how to prepare for your upcoming DSSSB Junior Secretary Assistant examination. Also, if you follow the above guidelines correctly and practice hard, you can clear your test with flying colors. 

All the best & Stay connected with our education blog

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Husband Texts Wife To Say He Took $800 Out Of Their Vacation Fund To Help His Student

With all of the negativity currently inundating our newsfeeds, we figured Giving Tuesday was a good opportunity to shine a light on some more positive stories. Take this man, for example, who decided to sacrifice his personal vacation fund in order to help a student and their family. See? Not all hope is lost.

James, a devoted school teacher, and husband, recently sent the following text to his spouse saying he had a story to share.

Bored Panda

He told his spouse about one of his students who didn’t have the means to afford warm clothes.

Without hesitation, James lent a helping hand offering to buy his student and the student’s grandfather new clothes and groceries.

Bored Panda

And James did so with the money from the vacation budget he shared with his spouse.

Bored Panda

Needless to say, she was extremely proud and even suggested James invite his student’s family over for the holidays.

Bored Panda

She also shared the story on Facebook and people were touched by James’s act of kindness.

See? Told you they still existed.

Husband Texts Wife To Say He Took $800 Out Of Their Vacation Fund To Help His Student

With all of the negativity currently inundating our newsfeeds, we figured Giving Tuesday was a good opportunity to shine a light on some more positive stories. Take this man, for example, who decided to sacrifice his personal vacation fund in order to help a student and their family. See? Not all hope is lost.

James, a devoted school teacher, and husband, recently sent the following text to his spouse saying he had a story to share.

Bored Panda

He told his spouse about one of his students who didn’t have the means to afford warm clothes.

Without hesitation, James lent a helping hand offering to buy his student and the student’s grandfather new clothes and groceries.

Bored Panda

And James did so with the money from the vacation budget he shared with his spouse.

Bored Panda

Needless to say, she was extremely proud and even suggested James invite his student’s family over for the holidays.

Bored Panda

She also shared the story on Facebook and people were touched by James’s act of kindness.

See? Told you they still existed.

No, I Do Not Regret Not Moving Away For College

Growing up, I always saw myself graduating high school and moving away for college. I could not wait to be out on my own and away from my hometown for school. Growing up where I did there was a stigma around staying at home and going to our hometown university after graduating high school. There was the idea that those who stayed at home for college would regret it and that they were not living up to their full potential or getting the true college experience. This made me want out of my hometown; I swore up and down that I would never go to the college in my hometown. But here I am, living at home and going into my junior year of college at that hometown school I swore I would never go to. Do I regret it? Not even the slightest. Do I think I am missing out on the college experience or not living up to my potential? Not at all.

I am going to a college in the same town I was born in. The same town where I was raised, went to school, and graduated high school. I remember meeting new people at orientation. The high level of nervousness and awkwardness made all interactions more like a game of twenty questions; the most popular one being “so, where are you from?” While all the kids around me were usually from at least an hour drive away, I was the only person in my orientation group who answered, “Here… I’m from here.” Apparently, no one was expecting a townie to actually stay in his or her town.

Now, I am not the only person from my graduating class to stay in our home town, there is actually quite a lot of us who did and I’m sure we all heard the same comments about our decision to stay. I am so happy for all of my classmates that have moved away for college, who are experiencing new things, but I would like to say that my life is just as full of new experiences as yours is. The only thing I lack is a change of scenery.

Even though I have lived fifteen minutes from this university my entire life, every time I step on campus I experience something new. I meet a new person, I take part in campus activities, and I learn something new. I do not feel like I am missing out on the “college experience,” I just feel like the one I have is a different kind. My story will probably never be made into a movie, and I am fine with that. Sure, I don’t live on campus with a dorm mate because I opted to stay in my own home, and no, I don’t have to take a shuttle bus to get groceries, but I still get lost looking for buildings or rooms. Most of my close friends moved away to go to a different school, so I have been searching for new friends just like everyone else.

I always told myself that when I graduated high school I would get as far away from this town as possible, but that idea started to not make a lot of sense the older I got. I will complain about this small town for the rest of my life, but the truth is that deep down I love this town. Every memory, good and bad, was created all over this place. Every friend, every enemy. There are so many people in this town who inspire me to live to my full potential, and as cheesy as that sounds, it is true. I love living close to my old high school because I get to continue to watch the clubs and activities I was in grow. I get to visit my friends who are still in high school. Old teachers, coworkers, and community members are all here to support me on my journey.

In addition, my knowledge of this town has even helped me make new friends at school. Those who are away from home and don’t know anything about the new town they are in love to friend us locals and have a tour guide, friend, and house to crash at all in one when their roommate drives them nuts. So no, I did not get to experience all the emotions of packing up and leaving for college, but I still feel happy with my choice every day. By staying at home, I saved money too; I chose a cheaper university and saved on room and board as well. I also do not have to worry about missing moments with my family because I am too far away to come home. I have yet to miss a holiday or birthday since my college life has started and I know this would not be true if I had moved away. I was here when my niece was born and got to hold her in my arms, I got asked to coach in my town because I was one of the few athletes who stuck around, I don’t have to worry about missing my fur babies when I am gone and I don’t have the fear of hating my roommate for an entire year.

I might not live here for the rest of my life, but I am glad that I chose to stay for a little while longer.

6 Reasons Why Studying Abroad Is One of the Best Decisions You’ll Ever Make

I was standing on a ledge right outside of the Cinque Terre train station, and I almost threw up. Not because of the height, not because of the bumpy train ride where I sat backward and smelled onions the entire time, and not because I happened to get the stomach flu. No. Because of the view. Because of the gorgeous teal-blue water mixed with the grey and brown rocks. Because of the tiny, choppy waves. Because of the cliffs. Because of the little salmon pink and yellow houses, that reminded me of Barbie doll homes. Because it wasn’t real, I wasn’t really here, in this seventy-degree weather, soaking up how beautiful and astounding the world was.

For three weeks, four months, whatever duration, studying abroad is one of the best decisions you can make in your undergrad (and grad!) years. Why?

1. It’ll scare you

If you’re like most college kids, there’s ‘home’ and ‘home-away-from-home.’ And the longer you’re in college, the more those labels blur. You start to become familiar with living on your own. You become comfortable. And that’s the perfect time to study abroad.

When you’re used to the routines of school, sports, fine arts, and social events, life gets redundant. And don’t get me wrong, that can be a good thing. Who doesn’t love the scheduled gym time, the Pub Wednesdays, and the annual Saturday morning sleep-in? But studying abroad will pull you out of that. It’ll freshen up your routine. It’ll change the way you do things and have done things for however many months or years. And it’ll scare the hell out of you.

Picture yourself in a place where you can’t really speak the language, don’t know anyone, and aren’t 100% sure how to get around. That’s terrifying, sure. But it’s also incredibly exciting.

2. You’ll learn a hell of a lot

This goes hand-in-hand. When you’re living in a place you’ve never been, you’ll learn where to find the cheapest wine, which galleries are open on the weekends, the nightlife, and the most relaxing parks to sit in the most expensive places to order pasta, how to navigate the local transportation, what heels to never ever wear on cobblestone, how to somewhat read a map, a few Italian words, and the names of all the famous artwork.

But that’s not even close to all you’ll learn. When you’re outside of your comfort zone, you’ll see the world beyond your bubble. You’ll see some of the most majestic sites. You’ll learn about history and people and artists who have shaped the world. You’ll stand under the Sistine Chapel for almost an hour, craning your neck to study the brushstrokes, to imagine the hours and the diligence in creating something so powerful. You’ll understand the subway system, the sculptures, and the different tastes and smells. You’ll learn your limits. You’ll learn that almost anything is accessible by foot. You’ll learn to spend money wisely. You’ll learn to spend money on experiences. And you’ll learn to love the world outside what you’re used to.

3. It will make you humble

You’ll feel incredibly small when you’re standing under a 17-foot7-foot statue of David, with his perfectly chiseled muscles and realistic facial expression. When you’re overlooking the thumbnail-sized towns from your airplane seat, when you try a meat sauce that’s been handed down for three generations, when you think about religious persecution as you stand in the middle of a famous church, you’ll realize how minuscule you are in the big scheme of things.

Suddenly your bad hair day and blistered feet don’t really seem to matter. For those and weeks months, you aren’t a college kid anymore. You’ll begin to learn about people much different than and  yourself understand their language, beliefs, customs, and fears, habits, traditions. You’ll learn to make friends with people you might not have before. And you’ll become humble, learning to listen and take it all in.

4. And then you’ll see the world in a new way

When you have to travel from place to place by boat in Venice, when you’re surrounded by thForumns of the Roman forum, when you try escargot for the first time and actually love the buttery, salty taste, you’ll see the world in a new way.

For probably the first time, you’ll see that the world is exciting and new. That there is life beyond the frat houses and final paper deadlines. The sites, ruins, sculptures, and artwork aren’t just pictures in a textbook. They become tangible, something you can touch, admire, and ponder. The world suddenly becomes this place you can discover, and there is so much to learn, so much to see, and so many new experiences to just say, ‘Sure, why not?’

5. You’ll learn to slow down

When you don’t have to punch a clock for work, eat quickly before basketball practice, get up by the third snooze button, race down the hallway for Chemistry class, or get that project turned in before Friday, you can just sit and enjoy your experiences.

That’s the beauty of studying abroad—you learn to slow down.

In a foreign country, you can turn off your social media and live a life without distractions and drama. Other things will become more important, like sharing stories and ideas with others, slurping rich and cheesy Carbonara pasta, staying up to watch the sunrise over Anacapri, riding in a gondola across Venice, trying different wines and gelatos, dancing ridiculously to Americanized techno in an Italian club, or just sitting quietly and admiring nature.

Suddenly deadlines, demands, and decisions won’t have as much relevance. You won’t have to stress about what you need to do. You can just be.

6. And finally, you’ll learn a lot about yourself

Not only will you return reciting important dates and garbled French words, holding handfuls of trinkets for your little siblings, but you’ll return a new person.

You’ll know what foods you love and hate, try escargot …And what your biggest fears are, how late you can stay up, how long you can walk with bleeding toes, what foreign words will get you where you want to be, and what art really spoke to you.

When you leave, you’ll be a scared twenty-something-year-old. But when you return, you’ll be an older, livelier (after sleeping off the jetlag) and more open person. You’ll be willing to try and share your experiences to value things and people in your life. And you’ll learn that you love the rush of being somewhere foreign, a feather thrown into a bustling ocean, trying to stay afloat and ride the waves.

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