Study Abroad Students Find Fresh Perspectives on Life -

Manage "good, bad, ugly" and the fear of missing out back home

Whether they're seeking better grades or more friends, students look forward to changes accompanying their new classes spring semester.

Jessica Cantley, a junior psychology and sociology major from Winston-Salem, will expect a complete change of setting when she starts her classes in a new country.

She will be leaving her home and school behind Wednesday when she travels to Florence, Italy, as part of UNC's Study Abroad program.

"I think it'll be real freedom and real separation from everything I know and everyone I know, and it'll be good for me," she said.

Cantley is one of many UNC students waiting for their Study Abroad programs to begin this semester.

She returned to campus last week to look at houses for next year, finish up last-minute errands and say goodbye to friends.

"It's kind of weird because everybody's back at school and I kind of feel left out of it or whatever, but then again, I'm sleeping until 1 (p.m.) every day," she said.

Katie Jensen, a sophomore business major from New Orleans, will leave for Wollongong, Australia, on Feb. 5. She also said it is strange not to be starting school with her friends.

"It's hard because everyone's back at school and settling in here, and all my friends at home are back at their colleges, so I'm ready just to learn and get it started," she said.

Jensen's classes in Australia do not begin until March 4, so she and a friend in the same program have decided to explore nearby New Zealand for three weeks before their semester begins.

Marie Duncan, a junior business major from Cary who will study abroad in Paris this semester, has been working at her father's office full time before she leaves Jan. 27.

"I'm not really nervous," she said of going to Paris.

"I'm sure I will be as the time comes and I'm leaving, but right now I'm just really excited."

Duncan will be studying at the Sorbonne, taking a required French language class and courses in French history, politics and literature.

Cantley decided to save some of her perspective class requirements for her semester in Italy because she knew they would be easier to find abroad than classes for either of her majors.

Chris Dalton, a junior philosophy and journalism major from Asheville, probably will take only one class that will fulfill a requirement while studying in Florence this semester.

He said he will take the shortest Italian language course possible.

"I want to learn it as I go around, not sitting in class," said Dalton, who plans on getting a job in Italy to strengthen his Italian further.

Rob Weldon, a junior anthropology major from Thomasville, also took a light course load when he studied in Quito, Ecuador, last semester.

"(Studying abroad) was everything. It was good, bad, ugly," he said. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Some students planning on going abroad said they had doubted whether they wanted to study abroad at one point or another.

"I know I'll miss all the fun times that'll happen over a semester, but in the end it'll be worth it," Duncan said.

Weldon provided reassurances for such fears of students preparing to study abroad.

"So many people think things change and they're going to miss stuff, but you don't miss anything," he said.

"If anything, it changes your perspective of life here."

The Features Editor can be reached at features@unc.edu.

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