Studying abroad hinders a student’s personal growth

Half-Assed: An argument against gun possession

Although I tend to doubt that anyone reads this column, I would imagine that if you are reading this article you probably have uttered an impetuous word or two in your life that you regret. You might even have taken a few actions that you would rescind if possible. My apologies for the inane rhetorical commentary, but my point is that human beings tend to get caught up. Sometimes, we lose control. In those instances, our emotions overwhelm our rational thinking.

Half-Assed: Rhetoric against ‘Meatless Monday’ is unmerited and inflated

Three weeks ago, I wrote a column encouraging students to stay on campus rather than go abroad during their junior year. As expected, I took a good deal of flak. Consequently, I was wary last week of writing an article that might further diminish my standing in the eyes of Bowdoin students. In particular, I was hesitant to pen an article touting the virtues of the program known as "Meatless Mondays." Ultimately, I abstained from writing an op-ed altogether in last week's edition of this storied publication. So much for that approach. The general sentiment expressed in Bowdoin's uproarious reaction to last Monday's dinner has confused and humored me.

Half-Assed

Studying abroad hinders a student’s personal growth

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Judah Isseroff

Columnist

February 4, 2011

According to the Bowdoin website, over half of the College's students have studied abroad by the time they graduate.

That statistic tells me a whole number of things. Mostly, it says that the college is blessed with a crazy abundance of resources.

As a sophomore, I have spent much of this year listening to my friends talk excitedly about their plans to go abroad next year.

The different cities they mention are intoxicating enough to make me dizzy. I've heard plans to go to Tel-Aviv, London, Buenos Aires, Paris, and even (perhaps unwisely) Cairo.

There is no questioning the allure of these cities and the countless others that my classmates will be flying off to next year. They will provide the opportunity for incredible language immersion and cultural education.

America is undoubtedly a great country in which to live, and Maine a great state in which to go to school, but just a look at the names of most study abroad destinations, and the mind immediately wanders to thoughts of glorious history, architectural beauty, and most importantly, shopping and warmer weather.

Overall, deciding to study abroad is a pretty sexy choice to make. The ordinary attractiveness of the opportunities of a new place and new people is amplified by the fact that the most visited destinations carry unique charm and an unparalleled history.

How then, can I possibly argue that going abroad is not a good decision?

At its essence, my decision not to go abroad stems from my understanding of what my four years at Bowdoin are meant for.

I see college as our first place in which to become truly grounded, and in which we are able to develop an identity and self-awareness characterized more by coherence than uncertainty.

When we matriculated, our tumultuous journey through adolescence was finally beginning to near its conclusion. The universe seemed to ease its assault on our bodies and minds. We emerged newly born in some ways.

For most of us, our time at Bowdoin is the first where we have the opportunity to forge an intellect and a modicum of independence. Leaving school after two or two and a half years seems to me to jeopardize that independence.

Four years at school might feel like a long time, but in terms of what Bowdoin offers and what many of us set out to do, it is not that long at all.

For the most part, Bowdoin students expect to leave college with an idea of either how they will enter the job market of the "real world" or what hyper-specific area of study they will pursue in graduate school.

As a sophomore, those decisions still feel alien and impossible. I need all the time that I can have at Bowdoin to continue to develop an acute sense of my interests in this place and, subsequently, to learn to make decisions to further those interests.

Taking a hiatus from Bowdoin to study abroad reverts us back to the position of a bystander. Instead of continuing our maturation at Bowdoin, a trip to one of the world's preeminent cities disintegrates our fragile sense of purpose.

How could London, Prague or Beijing not overwhelm us? While studying abroad we must suffer the fantastic size and grandeur of those places we visit.

Bowdoin, on the other hand, offers a secure but inspiring environment in which we can take risks and assert our independence.

Certainly every study abroad destination can offer a lot more than Brunswick, Maine, but are we currently equipped to take advantage of it? Do we really need a break from the vital work that is the growth of our interests?

There seems to be no value in studying abroad if we have no choice but to be relegated to sightseers.

And do we have any choice but to sightsee? Do our interests have the integrity and substance necessary to guide us with purpose through Barcelona or St. Petersburg? I do not think that they do.

Therein lies the purpose of Bowdoin: to forge within us an indelible compass that will facilitate our traveling later in life.

But for now, the controlled and even benign atmosphere of college is much more appropriate to our current place in life.

Here, we are almost force-fed to the point where we have no choice but to stumble upon a discipline that we'd like to belong to and pursue.

On the contrary, an immaculate city would emasculate us. What can we accomplish with our jaws dropping to our ankles?

College is the time for self-discovery. We are blessed to romp around this playpen and find out what the heck we want to do with life.

Soon we will have no choice but to depart. For now though, we really do belong right here.

Comments are permanently closed.