How to travel and still have time to learn
Every student, sitting at a desk, dreams of breaking away from everyday life and finding an opportunity (at least during the summer holidays) to travel. Such an opportunity has always been possible thanks to educational programs of study abroad. However, the last year – the year of the COVID-19 pandemic – has made significant adjustments to the education system.
Learning has become an online reality. Most students are engaged in listening to lectures, writing assignments and exams via the computer screen. However, there are advantages to this. And the biggest of them is the ability to choose your location during training. The main thing is that you have access to the Internet. This means that now it has become much easier to travel and study! Are you wondering how to combine these two things? Then keep reading our material and get an answer to your question.
Study Trips – A Way To Travel
Study trips are not just trips during vacations, but also new knowledge, experience, acquaintances, and sometimes a semester abroad or a chance for an internship in another country. In such projects, students take the opportunity to visit excursions for all tastes, enjoy the rest after classes, explore new cities and life in them – who knows, and suddenly this is where the participant will want to continue their studies?
Also a good read: Backpacker Travel Insurance: Your Safety Net for Global Adventures.
There are many study tour programs funded by the organizers or charitable foundations. Of course, usually in such cases competitions are organized, project works or motivation letters are evaluated. All you need to do is prepare properly.
The benefits of such trips are all too obvious: free accommodation, meals and tuition, and often a flight to the country of study. So look for information about such programs on the website of your university or other educational institutions.
Internship as a study trip
The next “level” of study trips is an internship abroad, which is also selected on a competitive basis. Moreover, students who have completed a foreign semester or year will often be paid good scholarships.
International internships are always an undeniably important addition to your resume. The most important thing is that the student, having completed an internship abroad, will know from the inside how a certain industry works in another country, will be fascinated by “other” life, experience and new ideas. And this is always a good springboard for interesting offers and startups.
Independent planning
If none of these options are right for you personally, there is another alternative. If you are an easy-going, a little adventurous and risky person, you can plan a trip to the country you dream of! Of course, for this, you will need to look for other financial sources. But with the right amount of money, travel will not be a problem for you. Today, you can safely combine life with travel and study. Many universities offer distance learning courses that you can take at a time convenient to you.
A few tips for travelers
Don’t be afraid to start.
It is always difficult to take the first step, especially if this first step is in a completely unfamiliar foreign language environment. It will be some time before you start to enjoy a lonely walk through a small Swedish town, impromptu communication with a Polish grandmother who does not know English, hitchhiking in the Netherlands. In such independent travels there are night wanderings-attempts to find the necessary address, and misunderstanding of rules which lead to not so pleasant communication with policemen, and shocking moments of intercultural misunderstanding. But what are the stories brought about home about the adventures and the thought “I did it, and quite good!”.
How about 8 Tips on Developing Network While Traveling.
Try new ones.
The word “new” has many meanings here: it is, again, communication with foreigners, and a new culture, and new specialties. You don’t have to be limited to your university specialization. Participate in related programs, expand the scope of your interests. Ultimately, it will help you look at your experience from a height and acquire new skills.
Time Management is important
When combining study and travel, it is important not to forget about time management. We advise you to use simple services to manage your affairs. You can record everything in the “Notes” application on your phone and then transfer it to the Google Calendar. Or create an event in Google Calendar right away.
With Google Calendar, you can plan your day by the hour, set a time to complete a task. It is lovely to drag and drop an uncompleted task to the next day. But the best part is deleting the task when it is completed. Add your travel plans to your calendar, too: that way, it’s easier to plan your time on the road and make time for study activities.
Speaking of time management Free Note-Taking Apps for Students: A Survival Guide for Academic Success.
Communicate!
Travel combined with learning is a great opportunity to hone not only your language skills, but also your ability to make contacts and present yourself. So be sure to take part in discussions, talk about your country, organize parties and excursions – and you will have an extraordinary experience of the trip.