When Colgate University asked an 18-year-old me “Why Colgate?” in their college application, I had one answer in mind: the international relations department and all that came with it — most especially the Geneva study abroad program. Fast forward to junior year, and here I am for my sixth straight on-campus semester at Colgate. I couldn’t be happier about it.
It took a little for me to feel comfortable with this decision. With 72% of Colgate students going abroad as of 2016, I had few people to turn to while pondering. If you are in a similar situation, here are some things to consider while making your decision.
My decision not to go abroad surprised many of my friends as I have spent the past two years at Colgate doing just that — being abroad. Through various Colgate clubs and student programs, I have visited Taipei, Paris, Brussels, Wales and London. I write this not to brag but to show that it is possible to have a variety of international experiences without spending an entire semester somewhere else. Programs such as Benton Scholars or the Sophomore Residential Seminar provided me with either the funding or the opportunity to explore new countries. While my Benton travel was solo, SRS travels as a class, making it more aligned with a traditional abroad experience. Over break, I knew students on multiple continents through Colgate programs such as extended studies and the speaking unions. Colgate prioritizes learning outside the classroom, and there are plenty of opportunities without needing to spend an entire semester away.
The best part of every opportunity listed above is that Colgate funds all the expenses, from flights to hotels to food. A big lure of studying abroad is that once you are out of the United States, it becomes cheaper to travel to other places, especially if you are based in Europe. While travel would have been more affordable, I am still a somewhat broke college student. A semester abroad would have cost a lot if I wanted to “do it right” — meanwhile, staying at Colgate means I have the opportunity to go to Germany for five days, free of charge, later this semester. Becoming deeply involved in the Colgate community means I have the best of both worlds: a community to sustain me on campus and also the opportunities to explore new places.
While going abroad means seeing places you once only knew from movies, the sights have nothing on Hamilton. Okay, the Champs-Élysées is much prettier than Broad Street, but there are certain charms to Colgate that I knew I would miss if I went abroad. I went a few weeks of the fall semester tallying my experiences up, then realized I did not have to. I could stay to watch us actually win at sports, write more articles and spend time with my senior friends before they graduate. At Colgate, I have surrounded myself with a caring and rewarding community between my classes, friends and extracurricular involvement.
At a certain point, though, I have to say goodbye. As an international relations major, I fully plan on a career that takes me around the globe. I have the rest of my life to spend four months anywhere else but only four years to be in Hamilton. Why not make the most of it while I can? On that note, I recognize not everyone is going into fields where they can freely travel — I’m looking at you, pre-med students. If that is the case, I encourage you to seize the opportunity to travel while you can. It might sound insane to some, but I just love Colgate too much to leave.
Another aspect I will mention, if you are pondering things much like I was, is that summer is always an option. Various approved program institutions offer abroad programs for two months of the summer, such as New York University. There are also various internship opportunities that you can apply for abroad. It’s the best of both worlds — time abroad without missing out on any Colgate experiences. While it can sometimes feel like time abroad is one-size-fits-all, it really should be something you tailor to your needs.
As my at-home semester kicks off, it is shaping up to be one of the most unique yet. I have a totally new group of people than last semester, and while I miss my friends abroad dearly, it is so fun to continue my junior year traditions with “new” friends returning from being abroad in the fall. With every basketball or ice hockey game attended, snowfall watched or movie night hosted, I add another reason to my growing list of why I am glad to not be abroad.
There was a time when I worried I’d look back five years from now and wish I had taken the opportunity to go abroad while I could. Ultimately, I realized I have the rest of my life to live somewhere else — and really only four years in Hamilton with the community that means so much to me.
Ryan D'Errico • Feb 17, 2025 at 12:14 pm
Such an interesting take! Colgate definitely does provide so many opportunities to travel to places outside of a traditional study abroad program if one takes the initiative to search for them.
One point that I think my fellow students should consider when deciding whether or not to study abroad for a semester is that it provides a very rare opportunity to be integrated into the society of a different country for an extended period. A long-term stay provides a much different experience than visiting for a week would. For instance, during my semester in Taiwan, I had local roommates, I knew the owners of the restaurants I frequented often, I attended clubs at the university, I became very familiar with my neighborhood, and I used Chinese in the real world on a daily basis.
While some people, such as you, may aspire to work abroad, others may never have such a unique opportunity to live in another country for an extended period again, so I strongly recommend that they consider going abroad for a semester. However, this is not feasible for everyone, and your article highlights a few of the various other international opportunities Colgate offers, which are definitely a second best!