Five ways studying abroad changes you

29 July 2019

By Yuniar Siregar

Studying abroad leaves memories that will last for a lifetime. The academic culture improves your critical thinking and you gain technical knowledge, but what’s more important is that you will learn:

#1. How to be honest with yourself

I don’t feel that my education in Indonesia prepares students to conduct research and other high-order thinking activities. To some extent, we may feel behind, but it’s important not to pretend that we’re more than what we can do. Once, I came in late to a lecture. A typical day, late-night study with a bit of seasonal depression—where’s my coffee, excuse me, coming through—I was so tired that it was hard to grasp the points. I asked the professor to elaborate on something. To answer my question, he practically had to summarize the entire lecture. At first, I thought it was a silly question, but during the break, a girl thanked me and said, “I didn’t understand much either at first, but thanks to you.” Often, people don’t understand things too. Being honest not only helps you but other people too.

#2. How to see yourself as equal

We called some of our professors by their first names. In a seminar, seats were not segregated, so you might sit next to the dean in the front row with your professors. In Indonesia, I used to sit on a bench and all the academic staff on the sofas in the front row. This seemingly trivial thing leaves a huge impact on me. I felt less inferior and became more engaged. Also, during the dissertation supervision, it felt like e working with a peer. With a less hierarchical academic culture, I was more enabled and empowered.

#3. How to take a calculated risks

My experience taking up new projects in classes taught me how to find the middle ground between what’s possible and what’s doable. I learned to take calculated risks to finish my assignments. This had a spillover effect on my decision-making, such as choosing accommodation and planning my Hajj trip. My calculation then was, “If I sign up for Hajj in Indonesia, I will have to wait for a long time. Signing up in the UK, I could fly right away.” The trade-off was that I missed the trips to Europe like everybody else, but I learned to stay true to myself, even if I had to go alone.

#4. How to negotiate

My supervisor allowed me to record the supervision meetings, but this was only because I asked for his permission. The saying is right: if you don’t ask, the answer is always no. The recording helped me a lot in writing my dissertation. On a bigger scale, I negotiated the scope of work and the timeline. Practising this is essential because we need to do it later in the professional world.

#5. That life is more than achievements

I was a little depressed during the dissertation writing. I would stay in my bedroom and avoid people. If it hadn’t been for my Taiwanese friend, I wouldn’t have been able to finish my study the way I did. He finished earlier than he went home to his country, but he would check on me every day to ensure that I was eating and making progress. I owed him those phone calls. I learned from a friend like this that friendship is valuable too, and there is more to life than a degree.