Editor’s note: Kirby Davis studied abroad at the University of Newcastle in Australia for the entirety of last semester.  

Study Abroad. Many people know the concept, but some have no idea what it fully entails. Did you know a study abroad adventure could last for anywhere from a few weeks to about five months or even a full year (academic and calendar)?

Throughout the length of time many students not only attend classes but also travel to see various sights. Having the opportunity to travel is one of the benefits of going on a semester abroad. Study abroad is not only an amazing opportunity for you to gain knowledge and experience the world but also to help you to grow as a person and find yourself.

As with anything in life there are bound to be some bumps along the road—but it’s not the end of the world. (Don’t worry chicken little, the sky is not falling.) These bumps and struggles just help us to grow as an individual and get you thinking about life.

I know it sounds cliché but it’s actually true. If you’re like me, one of the first times you really begin to think about life is when you’re getting up at 4:45 a.m. to catch a train at 5:45 a.m. to be at another campus in another city for an 8 a.m. class.

As you walk across campus in the pitch dark to find the train station and board the train, you think about what you’re doing. I don’t mean you think about where you’re walking, I mean you think about what you’re doing in a foreign country for five months without friends or family; you feel like you’re on your own.

It’s moments like that when things really start to fall into perspective and you see what you truly want and if something is worth the time and stress. For me, that train ride to class (which was an hour and a half) wasn’t worth the stress. I had started this journey to explore and experience new things, not to be so stressed out that I didn’t have a good time.

Sure, I ended up not taking the classes that I had planned to, but the classes I ended up taking I actually loved. They allowed me to find a part of myself that I didn’t know was there very much. I took a photomedia course that not only showed me that I had a love of photography, but also helped me to create a strong bond with one of my roommates.

That might have been the first time I really started to change perspectives on where I was going with my life, but it wasn’t the last. It was a cool spring day when I made my way to Newcastle Beach and spent the day taking photos and sitting on the beach.

As the day was coming to a close and the sky was turning into a pastel mix of pink, blue and purple I realized that everything was going to be fine. Overlooking the ocean and listening to the calm roar of the waves, I was finally at peace. I was at peace with the fact of being so far from home and not exactly having a clear path of where things were going or if I was going to end up with the job that I so desperately wanted.

Needless to say, one of the key things that I had learned was that the bumps in the road always have a way of turning out to be something great. It’s like the old saying, “When one door closes another one opens.” You just have to be brave enough to let that door shut and wait for one to open.

So, if studying abroad is one of your dreams then I say go for it. The Gilman Scholarship helped my dreams to become a reality and they can help you too.

After you take that leap and are walking to the plane, you’re a little jittery.You know it’s going to be fine, or at least you hope it will. You’re excited but also scared. This is all normal because what lies ahead of you is the experience of a lifetime that includes meeting new friends, seeing amazing places and taking interesting classes. Being away from your friends and family for five months is bound to be a little scary, but that shouldn’t stop you.

There’s an old saying: “If you never try then you’ll never know,” so try. Explore and experience the world and allow yourself to see everything in new light.