In this new era of globalization, more people than ever are leaving their homes to other places either temporarily or permanently. Study is one of the major reasons why people are living away from their homes within the nation or abroad. Some opt to study away from home due to hardships in education in their land, whereas some others do it out of their will to explore and learn in a completely new environment. The US, the UK, Japan, and Australia have become major destination of higher studies for many youngsters from across the world owing to the excellence of education systems in those countries.
Studying away from home within the nation can be a great opportunity. Alongside the opportunity, challenges do come. Pros of studying abroad lie in the opportunity while the challenges make up the cons. One needs to be aware about pros and cons of studying away from home to make the most out of it.
Here we have explained the pros and cons of studying away from home (including abroad study) so that you can prepare yourself in order to embrace them for better outcomes.
Pros
Independence
Studying in an unfamiliar place is obvious to pose challenges to you. Living away from home deprives you from the care of your parents and company of your friends. This can be pessimistically viewed as loss to you, but with a little bit of optimism you can surely see an opportunity lying. The care and company you lose can be fruitful in making you an independent person which is very important in life. Look for your own laundry and manage your room by yourself. This might sound unfamiliar to you now but that is exactly what you are going to say to yourself if you stay away from home. Being able to manage your things by yourself is a sign of maturity which can be vital for you to succeed in later life.
Starting Fresh
Your usual course of life is sure to chance when you stay away from home for study. In some cases, it can even be a chance for starting fresh. Setbacks and failures are common among high school seniors. Studying in a new place can obviously be a refreshment for them. You can act according to your own will rather than people’s expectation since the new and unfamiliar faces can be of less concern to you allowing you to focus on yourself. You can learn new ideas and gain new experiences in a completely new environment with new friends and circles. Life constantly needs changes and studying away from home can be one.
New culture
Culture is such a unique quality of society that it differs from one society to another even within a small region. Staying away from home exposes you to a new culture which can let you chance to grow new understandings, ideas, and perspectives. Let’s say you grew up in a conservative social set up of Nepal and you are going to study in the US. The liberal social setting of the US can change your certain views and perspectives about various aspects of life, eventually expanding your horizon. You will have peers from across the globe who spent their formative years in a different cultural set up. You will obviously become a well-rounded and open minded adult with an exposure to such variety of cultures.
Cons
High Expenses
It may not be easy for all to afford for their study away from home. Studying abroad can be even more tedious. University education can be expensive to begin with, and the added expense might not be realistic for you or your family. Studying in a place with a high cost of living can be troublesome for some. But, don’t worry. Problems do have solutions. You can look for scholarships, aids, and fellowships to cover up your expenses.
Culture Shock
It was earlier explained that you will be exposed to a number of new cultures that you might have never thought of. While you can learn a lot from new cultures, in some cases, you can even be shocked due to the cultures. You might be shocked with the lifestyle that you are not used to. A boy who grew up in a small village can be shocked by the code and conducts of a large city to which he has just moved in. This experience can lead to homesickness, which can be depressing and distract you from your studies. In this case, you should be conscious that there are more things to learn from new cultures than to worry about them.
Emergencies
Living away from home is obvious to deprive you from the day-to-day care and support from your parents. Emergency is a situation of sudden difficulty or crisis. You can have emergency cases related to your health, finance, or even education. Or the emergency may have arisen in your family. In such cases, not being with each other can be painful. You need to be care for yourself in order to cope with emergencies or any sort of difficulties that may arise. You need to stay in touch with your family and friends so that emotional support can be shared in the times of difficulties.
You need to learn to balance your life away from home by taking advantage of opportunities and tackling the obstacles in order to make them work for you in the long run. Only then your stay away from home becomes fruitful.