Before I even received my acceptance package from St. Edward’s University, I knew I wanted to study abroad.

Thankfully, I picked a school with such a strong commitment to the global community and, therefore, a global education.

I won’t lie: The planning and logistics behind spending a semester in another country can be daunting.

Don’t let that discourage you. If you want to take your studies to an international level, the Office of International Education will do everything in its power to help you get there.

There are countless study abroad organizations, and within each one, a wide variety of programs: exchange, home-stay, summer, faculty-led, and more. The organizations have partner institutions on every continent.

If you have even the slightest inclination to study abroad, I strongly advise you to discuss it with your academic advisor early in the semester. Admittedly, some degree tracks are harder than others when it comes to taking classes abroad, but if you plan it right, you can study abroad no matter your major.

It’s helpful to discuss study abroad plans early on because some programs have prerequisites. You don’t want to be automatically disqualified from applying to a program in Spain because you haven’t take enough semesters of Spanish language, or some other equally avoidable tragedy.

I chose to spend my sophomore spring semester studying abroad in Angers, France through the St. Edward’s faculty-led program.

St. Edward’s worked not only to make Angers a sister city of Austin, but also to develop a program for French university students. The program allows French students to spend a year in Angers and then complete the rest of their studies at St. Edward’s in Austin.

Because I chose a St. Edward’s program, my application and preparation process was most likely much easier than that of other study-abroad hopefuls.

My first step was to set up an information meeting with Laura Ray, one of the study-abroad advisors, to discuss all my options. Since I was already set on Angers, the meeting’s purpose shifted to providing me with critical program information, like fees, dates, housing, and courses.

The application process was fairly short, and I was accepted within a week or so.

The visa and passport part is where it gets tricky. Thankfully, Laura Ray and the entire IOE team know what they’re doing, and do it well.

They showed me exactly how to apply for a visa, where to go get it, and what information and forms I would need, so that I could live in France for four months.

The OIE also put together an invaluable orientation for all study abroad students, chockfull of advice on culture shock, budgeting, safety, and surviving in a foreign land.

By the time I boarded my flight to Paris, I had no reservations about spending a semester in France.

Here I am now, almost four months later: I’ve been to five European countries, navigated the Paris metro system, attended multiple mandatory class wine-tasting excursions and eaten enough baguettes to last me a lifetime.

If you’ve chosen to be a Hilltopper, then get ready to “take on your world.” There is no shortage of opportunities for you to do so.

And if you choose to study abroad, get ready for a life-altering, eye-opening, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Trust me on this one: you won’t regret it.

@neemyf