Study Abroad: The Marmite of student travelling

In my last reflective article, I came out strong with my opinion. I believed that no matter what – the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs – study abroad was the opportunity for students to grow, recover old parts of themselves, find new interests and tastes, and gain lifelong friendships. But in reality, I was a little bit off mark. Study abroad is like Marmite; you can love it, and you can hate it. For sure, I love it, but I can understand why you may hate it too. After all, it’s not just a holiday but a whole uprooting and moving of the life you knew. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, and sometimes it dips too low or soars too high, and either way, that’s okay.

I’ve now come to the end of my academic endeavours in Bordeaux and, yes, whilst I have adored my time here, I know plenty of others who haven’t (including myself at times). For one, second term started just as badly as first term for me. It’s never been all sunshine and rainbows; I continue to navigate difficult family situations, new challenging experiences, and disheartening language barriers. My university shut down for five weeks in total, exams were thrown into chaos, and illegal blockades rendered the campus useless. Additionally, my dad continues to fight his brain tumour every day, and being away from my family has been nothing short of heartbreaking at times.

Study abroad is like Marmite; you can love it, and you can hate it

So, whilst I’ve still found ways to absolutely love my time here, through close-knit friendships, new sports teams, travels, and day trips, there is absolutely no shame in also saying it’s not easy and sometimes it’s frankly impossible. Whether one day or week you love it, and the next you feel like you’ve stepped off a cliff and are freefalling with no control, or you had one taste of year abroad and realised it was too bitter, it’s okay to accept it’s simply not for everyone – your opinion can change at any point too.

After writing my last article, I spoke to a lot of friends who said the picture I portrayed on social media was one of perfect happiness, when in reality I had curated a highlight reel. And that, not in a negative way, they felt oddly comforted by my low point as well as my high points. I’ve learnt that I am guilty of contributing to the false narratives on social media and that I, like everyone else, will probably always do this. But I’ve also learnt that there is so much more to gain from honesty after the wave of support and warmth I received after the first article. Every single person who has ever completed a year abroad will have had to navigate difficult emotions and scenarios, and it’s important to take comfort in our shared experiences, positive or negative, rather than shy away from them.

There is absolutely no shame in also saying it’s not easy and sometimes it’s frankly impossible

I now know of three people who made the decision to drop out, many who can’t wait to get home, struggled to settle in, or just didn’t take to year abroad in the ways they imagined they would, and multiple people who only forced themselves onto a year abroad because they felt pressured to. Year abroad shouldn’t be a product of academic and peer pressure. It’s sold as an enriching experience, but remember: enrichment doesn’t equal homesickness, loneliness, or anxiety.

On the other hand, I know many people who don’t want to go home at all and feel like time is slipping away from them. After all, you know what they say – time flies when you’re having fun. My friends and I have teared up with gratitude multiple times, thanking our lucky stars that year abroad brought us together, handed us exceptional experiences, and taught us all about ourselves. So what is there to learn from this?

University needs to stop selling year abroad as a one-size-fits-all scheme

Every person is different, every experience is different, and every destination is different. If it didn’t work out for you, don’t kick yourself or feel worse for it – and if you loved it, don’t feel guilty for shouting from the rooftops about it and recommending it to everyone you see.

It’s important to remember that whilst everyone has had low moments, everyone has also had great moments. For me, it’s my adventures to the French countryside and cities further afield like Lisbon, afternoons spent amongst the daisies at the park, and weekly meals with my friends that stick out. That’s not to say I’ve forgotten what it feels like to receive news that made my heart drop whilst being hours away from home, or exams that I came out of on the verge of tears – but even if year abroad wasn’t for you, cling to the moments that made you smile. There were still moments of greatness amongst it all.

I will always advocate for every student to make their own decisions without any pressure

Sure, it’s the best way to learn a language, appreciate a new culture, or try new things – but what they don’t tell you is you can easily continue to learn a language at home, you can appreciate a new culture by experiencing it for a week holiday or making new friends right here at Warwick, and you can try new things or carry on old hobbies no matter where you are in the world.

A year abroad is not the be-all and end-all. It can be the best thing or the worst thing, and no matter where you fall on the spectrum of Marmite-loving or -hating in the study abroad cohort, you are more important than an expectation to complete a year abroad.

I will end by saying I will always continue to recommend a year abroad. For me, it has been life-changing in all the right ways. I have certainly grown as an individual, formed lifelong friendships, and had the time of my life. But I have come to appreciate that this is a fortunate position I find myself in, and I will always advocate for every student to make their own decisions without any pressure.