Go Away (Study Abroad)

By Grace Carballo ‘17

A recap of the Study Abroad fair:

I’m genuinely sorry you missed it; I had an awesome time. As did my dear friend, Kathleen, despite her rather indifferent expression (pictured above). 

I can summarize everything rather briefly in easily digestible and ever-credible listicle fashion:

“BEST SEMESTER EVER! TIME OF MY LIFE, CHECK OUT MY BLOG, ETC.” - everyone (paraphrased)

1) All the returning students working the booths were so glad they went abroad, regardless of location. Literally 10/10 recommend.

2) If you want to go on a program through a study abroad provider that is not a USC-sponsored program, there’s a lot of paperwork to fill out and your credits may not transfer. So if possible, choose one of the many programs USC already offers because ain’t nobody got time for dat. 

3) Shout out to Dornsife, the real MVP, for offering 55 programs in 30 countries. 

4) You need to get your advisers to sign off on the courses you plan to take to ensure the credits transfer and the sooner, the better .

5) Look at the living options available for the programs you are interested in. Homestays can be great for full immersion in a new country and if you have certain dietary restrictions (vegetarians, holler @ me) you will be placed with people who can accommodate you and your high-maintenance self.  In time, you may even feel like part of the family!

6) For the realest real talk, the Study Abroad Office (Taper, 3rd floor) has questionnaires and contact info from fellow Trojans who have been there, done that.  This advice is super candid and seriously helpful. Cat calls seem to be a common part of the culture in several of the countries I’m looking at; I probably would have been traumatized if I jetted off without this knowledge. 

You have no excuse NOT to apply now, you are so in the know. If every single study abroad returnee is any indication, you won’t regret it.