top of page
Search
  • Writer's picturejuliemari

MY EXPERIENCE OF STUDYING ABROAD AND WHY YOU SHOULD TOO!

Updated: Dec 2, 2021

This week I've been thinking a lot about the privilege I have of being able to study abroad. So I wanted to write about it by talking about my experience 😚


I am French, I have lived in France most of my life, and going to study in England was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I would like to share this experience so that I can reflect on it myself and perhaps inspire others to take the courage to study abroad.



First of all, I have always had a taste for travel thanks to my parents who allowed me to travel all over the world. My father also had the opportunity to work in Malaysia for two years in 2016, so we went as a family and I did part of my high school there. I think it definitely opened my mind and gave me this thirst for discovery and adventure because when I came back to France in 2018, I immediately wanted to go back.


During my last year of high school in Marseille, I was a bit lost, I didn't know what to study after graduation and I didn't know where to go.

Staying in France was an option, I applied on Parcousup, a platform similar to UCAS, but despite my excellent grades and evaluations, I was mostly rejected from all the courses that interested me. But I also wanted to try my luck abroad. England seemed like a good option: not far from France, an English-speaking country, the prices were less exorbitant than in the USA for example and there were quite a few universities offering courses that interested me. So I went to a fair in Paris presenting lots of universities all over the world and I picked three universities that interested me: Middlesex London, Keele University and Southampton Solent University.


Southampton Solent University appealed to me straight away, and especially its curriculum which offered me the opportunity to study public relations.


A few months later I travelled to Southampton for an open day.

A year later, I started at Solent University and met my classmates with whom I would share three years of my life.


I am currently in the final year of my Bachelor's degree in Public Relations and Communications Management, and I am enjoying every second of it.


At first, I was afraid to leave. I had just turned 18, I was going to leave my parents and friends, and I was going to live abroad alone. It was quite scary. But I had to get up the courage because I really needed this experience, I had to open myself up to the world, find out who I was and go and discover the UK. I kept telling myself "Be Brave" and I even had that phrase tattooed!


But strangely enough, as soon as I arrived in Southampton, I felt very comfortable. The people I was going to share my accommodation with for a year were very kind, funny and supportive.

As the days went by, I felt good and even at home. I'm not going to lie, there were of course little moments of depression when I missed my family and friends back in France, but all the positive things that this experience brought to me made me relativise.


Going to study abroad is an incredible experience. It is very enriching culturally, linguistically, and personally because I truly discovered new facets of my personality that I had never suspected and I blossomed. Moreover, it is a very good element to put on your CV!


I'm graduating in a few months, and I still don't know what I'm going to do afterwards, but I'm thinking of going back to France to continue my studies. At first, I felt guilty for having invested so much to go abroad and then come back home. But no, that's nonsense! It's OK to want to come back to your little cocoon after having gone abroad, there's nothing wrong with that. I have lived my experience, it has enriched me a lot because I have learned a lot of things, I have followed courses that I was passionate about, I got some work experience and I have met extraordinary people, and that is the main thing. So no, I shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to come back home.

But the year is not over yet and I still have 6 months to take full advantage of this experience and to continue to enrich myself!


To conclude, I am living an incredible experience in the UK. I think that you have to take your courage in both hands and go to discover the world. I encourage everyone who can afford to leave to do so, you will not regret it! And don't forget: BE BRAVE!


I would love to hear your opinions on going abroad for your studies, don't hesitate to comment!


21 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page