It is easy to assume that we all have the same opportunities available to us.

Well this is true to a certain point nevertheless I missed the boat of opportunity when Study Abroad came knocking on my door. I must have been too busy living it up in Yokos or Academy. I wasted most of my second year at Uni in both places. Let us celebrate ”the night is still young” I would say. I was always the first person on the dance floor throwing some serious shapes and the last person to leave. Ohh dear ohh dear Yokos I have some serious memories!

To be completely honest my memories of University could have been different. My best friend decided that she would take part in the Exchange programme and it took her all the way to CHICAGO in her words SHECAGO (I always laughed at her pronunciation).

The difference between me and her was that she wanted to challenge herself and see what was out there. That’s the crazy thing about Aber you automatically feel at home and that feeling is so dangerous. You start to limit yourself because you don’t want to leave what you have here. I was like that, I decided that there was nothing out there for me to see everything I needed to see was at the end of the promenade. Boy ooh boy was I wrong. I didn’t know that studying abroad could truly enhance or enrich your life so much. The minute my friend returned from her Exchange the change in her was obvious she thought and talked differently. Her approach to life had changed. She had a part time job whilst she was out in the US and made some incredible connections. She came back with a sense of direction and new exactly what she wanted to do once she graduated. I on the other hand could not figure out if I wanted to go out and dance some more or do a masters. So I did what everyone else does get a job in a bar. There is nothing wrong with that, but I now realise had I taken the chance to go on Exchange my approach to life would have been different. I would have been exposed to people from all types of backgrounds.

So here it goes I REGRET not going on Exchange. I put myself in a box and aimed for nothing else. I thought that a degree would get me everything I needed. I thought who needs to Study Abroad when you have a Degree in Law. The world is your oyster if you have a Law Degree. Not realising that employers look for more than just a degree. How naïve was I to think that. They want to know what you have done. What have you accomplished aside from you Degree? Are you socially aware? Are you aware of the world around you? My answer to all those questions was NO. So I decided I would engage in charity work to make up for the lack of experience I had in my field. I decided that I would immerse myself in work that involved meeting people from different walks of life. I had studied German at A-level and took that up again as employers love languages. Instead of living with ‘’if only I had’’ I made a change. This could have easily been avoided if I had said yes to STUDY ABROAD.

My best friend worked for company in Australia for two years and she was promoted to manage her own team of staff within 6 months of starting that job. She now lives in Abu Dhabi and works for an Oil company. She holidays around the world and drives a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I on the other hand will be going on my first holiday abroad. For the first time in my life I can afford to do so.

The moral of my story is do not limit yourself. Take advantage of all the opportunities offered to you.

I hope you enjoy my blog!

See you Soon….

N