Jamie studied in Amsterdam on the Amsterdam, Netherlands: Dutch Criminal Justice (Summer) Program in Summer 2016.
If you could give only one reason, why would you suggest other students study abroad?
Studying or living in another country for any amount of time in is an incredible and unique experience. The independence and knowledge that can potentially be gained through studying abroad is limitless, not to mention the personal growth that can be achieved. Studying Abroad is an experience that is like no other, and the skills and lessons I left my program with are things that I would have never gained without first stepping out of my comfort zone, away from home, on my own.
If you could go abroad again, what would you do differently?
When abroad, my friends and I definitely tried to make the most of our free time enjoying the social atmosphere of the cafes and bars in downtown Amsterdam, as well as sight-seeing, shopping, and exploring the Red Light District. If I could do it differently, the only thing I would change, would be to sleep even less. I would take those extra hours that I had used to sleep in, and use them to further enrich my experiences. I spent 4 and a half weeks in Amsterdam, but I could have studied there for a year and still, it would not have been enough time!
What experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have had if you had stayed at Penn State?
There are a thousand different ways I could answer this question, but most simply, it boils down to one thing. There is a particular sense of independence that is gained when you are in the prime of youth and you are on your own in the world for the first time, even more so than moving into the dorms. I feel like after spending the summer in Europe, I have been able to fully spread my wings and soar with a new found independence. Not to mention, I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had, through all of our crazy shared adventures that could have never happened in State College, or even in the States.
What advice would you give to outbound study abroad students to help them make the most out of their study abroad experiences?
An obvious but essential thing in order to make the absolute most of any new experience is to remember to push your self out of your comfort zone as much as possible! Some things may seem scary or odd, but I promise that even if you don’t end up enjoying the event itself all that much, you will still walk away with a new and memorable experience that makes it totally worth it. Many of the events and memories I hold most dear are a result of stepping out of my social and/or physical comfort zone.