Studying Abroad for the Non-Traditional College Student

Are you thinking about studying abroad? Wondering if it’s right for you? Will you fit in with your group? Can you be away from home for that long? Well, I am happy to report, that the answer to all of your burning questions is a resounding YES!!

I’m as non-traditional as it gets for a college student. I am 45 years old, a wife and mother of two grown children, I work full-time, and I go to school full-time online. There I was a few years ago, considering this exciting milestone at the same time as my 21-year-old daughter. In addition to the above mentioned questions, I also wondered (and worried), am I too old for this?  Will an “old lady” like me be accepted by the younger, traditional college students? I decided to go for it. You only live once, right?  

I chose to study abroad in London, England with CEA CAPA, and I embarked on what would become a life-altering experience for me in the summer of 2018. All of my worries dissipated on the very first day. When I entered the classroom for the first time, those “traditional” college students I was so worried about couldn't have been lovelier to me. They were as happy for me to be there as I was. Never, not even once, did I feel out of place for being in a different stage of my life. I was one of their classmates, and they were mine, and I felt so happy to be there.

It was an incredible three-week session, exploring the beautiful surroundings, and I tried to soak in everything I could in order to remember this journey. I was changed by this experience, in a way I never expected at my age. I felt worldlier, deeper, wiser, and even healthier, and I even added quite a few new Instagram followers.

Now, my question to you is, if you're wondering, thinking about, considering, or contemplating your own study abroad... what are you waiting for? This experience awaits you. New friends await you. Life is awaiting you.