I knew Copenhagen was the right fit for me after doing tons of research. My university abroad, the Danish Institute for Study Abroad, offered courses that aligned with the elective credits I needed at my home university. Copenhagen is also consistently ranked as one of the happiest and safest cities in the world. While Danes tend to be more reserved than Americans, they are always willing to help and almost everyone speaks English. Denmark’s location also made weekend travel accessible, and during the semester I was able to visit nine different countries.
I chose to study abroad during the spring semester for a few reasons. Fall at Loyola is beautiful, I’m involved in several organizations that are busier during the fall, I wanted extra time to save money before leaving and honestly, I couldn’t imagine missing Thanksgiving at home. Looking back, the fall semester may have worked better for internship opportunities, but everything has a way of working itself out in the end.
Because I chose the spring program, I had more time to work on my Gilman-McCain Scholarship application. Receiving this scholarship to support my education abroad was such an incredible blessing. One piece of advice I would give to students hoping to study abroad is this: research, research, research. There are so many hidden scholarships, grants and opportunities out there that can help make studying abroad possible. And another important tidbit--everyone’s study abroad journey looks different. Comparison is the thief of joy. Once you find the program and location that fit you, it can become one of the most rewarding experiences of your college career (I promise).
