During a journey, students have the opportunity to live new experiences, meet people with realities quite different from theirs; deal with some unexpected problems and sometimes even comes out of the comfort zone. These adverse situations can have a great impact on the development of some skills in students that are extremely useful for their careers and personal lives.
The skills and know-how you reach due to the experience of travelling can provide life-long personal gain as well as a boost in the professional world.
How happens to you & your skills when you travel?
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- Better academic performance
Research indicates that international travels increase advances in the understanding of academic content. Travelling when you are young is also an important investment to improve academic performance in the future. You can always find ways to use the knowledge you acquired while travelling and adapt it to the classroom.
- Better academic performance
- You learn to accept feeling awkward, you don’t give in to fear.
Only at moments that you are confronted with challenges is that you end up stepping out of your shell and comfort zone. That is the sweet spot for you to be able to grow the most. When you are uncomfortable in a situation, don’t shy away from it, rather take it as a personal challenge and develop your skills.
- You learn new concepts and tools.
For example, the mind map is a very functional tool to assist students when forming a plan. If you are excited to interact with locals when travelling and want to get to know more about the culture, but you are unsure of how to start a conversation, you can take advantage of this tool! Use your critical thinking and planning skills to develop a few topics and phrases you can use thorough your exploration, divide this process on a mind map and you can even write about this experience for a school project!
- You Build Confidence
Exploring for any length of time in a different culture can help prepare students deeper than any classroom course. Overcoming challenges while travelling helps students build confidence and thus prepares them for professional obstacles. - New Friends and Languages
Cultural immersion through travel programs can also help break down language barriers and open new lifelong channels of communication. Exploring a new place opens doors to establishing new friendships and relationships that would never have been acquired without travelling. - Growth and Independence
While away from home and without the ease of a regular support system, students have opportunities to see what they can accomplish on their own. Traveling allows students to develop in a way they could not do without leaving their comfort zone.
Staying away from home is also a chance to let a student realize what they miss most. Experiencing another place and culture is an opportunity to analyze your thoughts, beliefs and ideas – often with huge contrasts. Thus, they understand the importance of the little things and conveniences that often go unnoticed.
Yes! It works!
There are many different ways to boost confidence and overcome the anxiety of talking to new people and going abroad, but no matter how much courage you have to muster up, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is the only way you can make your fear powerless!
