I'm Mason Lim, a student from Stevens Institute of Technology, and I've studied abroad 3 times with CIS Abroad in Japan! As a student at a tech school, many of my peers wrote off being able to study abroad with their heavy course load or not having the time to take a full semester abroad. I also used to think the same until I discovered the January Term (J-Term) Programs.
During my junior year of college, I wanted to study abroad before I graduated and thought my only chance would be a summer program. It was only when I talked to our study abroad office I learned that programs were offered during our winter break. This meant I would be able to study abroad without interfering with my existing course schedule while also fulfilling one of my elective requirements. I also was told that I would have to hurry as the deadlines for the application were quickly approaching.
To make matters worse, I had discovered that my passport had also expired and I would need to hope I would be able to get a new one before the program began. I hurriedly logged onto the CIS Abroad website, fearing that I would not be able to complete the forms before the deadline. However, the forms were all very straightforward and I was able to complete most of them very quickly (save for the passport information). I emailed my program coordinator about my issue with my passport and they were able to help me out with the remaining steps of the application (my new passport arrived even earlier than I anticipated which was a nice surprise as well).
The next thing I knew, I was on a plane to Tokyo for what would become a truly unforgettable experience. It’s hard to put into words what I experienced when I studied abroad, but it felt very different from when I traveled around on vacations. There are subtle nuances about going to class in a foreign country or taking a day trip to a completely different part of the country. I climbed a mountain to watch the first sunrise of the New Year, screamed my lungs out at a concert in Yokohama, and so much more.
I learned a lot more about myself during the program and came back home realizing I was more confident and competent than I thought I was. But returning home, lingering in my mind were my preconceived notions of “I don’t think my schedule will allow me to study abroad…” and “I don’t think I’ll be able to fill out all the forms before the deadline..” which were proven false. This led to the only piece of regret I had from studying abroad: “I wish I had learned about this sooner.”
If I had known how easy it was to apply and go abroad I would have done so earlier and not have had to wait until a year before graduation. So my biggest piece of advice to anyone who may have concerns about studying abroad would be to reach out to CIS Abroad or your university’s study abroad office and get the answers you need.
With all the hurdles I faced in the pre-application and application processes, the only way I was able to break through all the uncertainty was to ask questions. These questions were all met with answers from very kind staff members who were all eager to help. So who knows? Your study abroad adventure might be only an email away!
Check out the program finder to find a program that works with your schedule and course requirements!