BSc Business and Management student Olivia Ngoc Huynh is approaching the end of her year in South Korea, and what a year it’s been!

There’s something so overwhelming about the idea of packing your life into a 23kg suitcase and moving across the world. If you are planning on studying abroad and have those nervous jitters, trust me I understand. Before leaving for my study abroad in South Korea, I was terrified about everything – including making friends, adapting to a new culture and living so far from home. Yet, after a year away from home, I can confidently say that studying abroad at Yonsei University was one of the best decisions I have ever made, even though it was initially frightening.  

You probably have heard it a million times but living abroad teaches you things about yourself that you would have never learnt staying at home. I had to become more independent because I had to. I had to trust myself because there was no other option. Things that felt scary like navigating the streets of Seoul, speaking to strangers and figuring out daily life on my own became normal and slowly I started to realise that this was the happiest I have ever been.

One of my favourite parts of my year abroad was the people I got to meet. I lived in the dorms available through Yonsei and I could not recommend it enough! Specifically, I chose to live in SK Global, which had private bathrooms. However, if you end up with the communal bathrooms in the International House dorm, don’t be worried! My friends who lived in that dormitory enjoyed the warm community created by living in an all girls environment.  Living in the dorms made connecting with other students so easy and some of my best memories came from simple moments living so close together like late night runs to the convenient stores, spontaneously meeting up after classes and sitting in each other’s rooms until the sun comes up. Having met and creating a friendship group with people from all different places completely changed my perspective. My world became so much bigger as we shared cultures, languages and experiences.  

At first, everything felt so new with the language, social customs and just everyday routines. However, that was what made everyday so exciting. Everyday become something I looked forward too and the unfamiliar became things of comfort. I found myself repeating visits to my favourite cafes, streets that I memorized by walking everyday and people that started to feel like a home away from home. Rarely did I ever feel like there was a dull moment. Ordinary days became fun as there was always something to do like exploring new neighbourhoods, trying new drinks at different cafes, singing our hearts out at karaoke, biking by the Han River to catch the sunset or even travelling to close by countries! Some of my favourite moments came from spontaneous moments like wandering what to do after class or staying out too late. 

Studying abroad meant being in a new environment, which allowed me to grow emotionally. Of course, there will be difficult moments like missing home sometimes and wondering what everyone is up to back at home. But my friends and I would have our motto – “We are literally in SOUTH KOREA!”, which would relieve the sadness and make us realise how lucky we were for this opportunity. Overcoming those moments of doubt made the experience even more meaningful, as it proved that I could get past it. Anxiety doesn’t always mean something is wrong. The uncertainty of stepping into something so unfamiliar gives you experiences that are worth all the doubt.  

Most importantly, my year abroad taught me that home is not always a singular, physical place. For me, home now exists in the beautiful people I met, the routines I built and the more confident and open version of myself that came out on the other side of this experience. I think that’s one of the most bittersweet things about studying abroad: once it ends, parts of myself are scattered across the world in different countries and in memories of all the people I have connected to. This is what made the experience so meaningful. Studying abroad in Seoul has taught me that I am more adaptable and capable than I ever have given myself credit for prior to leaving. It also presented me with the idea that perhaps I do want to work abroad and live in another country in the future (something I initially thought was always too scary to do). It showed that growth comes from uncertainty and although scary, taking that risk of moving across the world can be the most life-changing thing you will ever experience. So, if you were to ask me whether you should study abroad in Seoul, my answer will always be yes.