A month ago, many Bates juniors were watching the Eiffel tower sparkle, sipping mulled wine at a Christmas market, or riding camels in the Moroccan desert. Today, many are no longer strutting along the Champs-Elysées, but once more down alumni walk. Trodding again these roads which are familiar and dear, these students find themselves once again at the tables of Commons over a few-too-many slices of toll house pie, talking about their revolutionary four months out in the world.
Every winter semester, juniors come back to Bates from their semesters’ abroad speaking about how the experience changed their lives. Aside from a newfound fondness for bike-riding, or an evolved palette for fine wines, how have these students been shaped by their experiences around the world?
According to the Bates Center of Global Education, about 60% of Bates juniors take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad. For some, it’s their first time ever leaving the United States, whereas others travel abroad regularly. In either case, students overwhelmingly return to Bates feeling transformed. From fashion to music, eating habits to outlook on careers, in what ways do a semester abroad transform Bates students?
I spoke with two recently returned students in the junior class, Lianna Rosman’ 26, who spent the fall semester in Amsterdam, and Eloise Wyatt ’26, who spent the semester in Prague, to get to the root of this mental shift.
On the day to day, Rosman reflected that “I feel like I’ve been a little bit more creative in Commons just because I was cooking for myself so much.”
Both Wyatt and Rosman noted an increase in confidence and empowerment. Specifically, Wyatt said, “I started to care a lot less about how other people perceive me and focus more so on how I want to live my life and just putting myself first and doing what I think is best for myself.”
Rosman has also felt more confident, noting “I did a lot of day-to-day stuff on my own in comparison to being at college. I feel like you do a lot with other people. Since being back, I’ve just been able to do my own thing and go around my own structure, meeting up with people periodically instead of doing activities with people all day.”
When speaking to them both, it became clear the contrast between the ultra-independent nature of a semester abroad and the emphasis on community on Bates’ campus.
On a larger scale, both Rosman and Wyatt reflected on their growth as a general broadening of their worldview, an increase in confidence, and appreciation for independence. These fundamental elements of self-growth translated, for both of them, into their day-to-day experience, but also stylistically into their wardrobe.
When asked if they thought their personal style had changed as a result of their semesters abroad, Wyatt said, “Yes, in the sense that it’s more amplified by who I am. Back to the note about caring less what people think like when you’re in a big city or in a big crowd you get so inspired by what people are wearing and you’re willing to take more risks as you see other people around you doing so as well.”
The women also reflected on the type of growth experienced at Bates as opposed to the growth experienced abroad. Rosman noted this lack of a cushion so to speak, during her semester abroad, saying “going into it you’re meeting a bunch of new people so it’s immediately less comfortable. You are a lot more vulnerable in most situations. Abroad was instrumental in learning how to get things done and problem solve on my own without the support that Bates college provides.”
On the other hand, Wyatt noted “Here at Bates we spend a lot of time refining your analytical skills and writing skills, versus abroad is more so your own self and who you are as a person.” There is a certain emphasis abroad on cultural education and education of the self that is incredibly special. Equally as unique is the community environment and academic spaces at Bates that provide confidence in different ways.
Wyatt and Rosman both emphasized that going abroad provided them objectivity on Bates and on life. Wyatt brought up this experience with “hustle culture” in America both in her hometown outside of New York City and at Bates. With an air of true refreshment, she reflected on her semester in Prague saying “it’s so nice when you’re a student to be able to absorb an atmosphere of relaxation. There’s pros and cons of that, yes, but it really broadens your perspective on what you can get out of life.”
Along the same line, Wyatt expressed that her semester abroad confirmed her desire to travel and experience other cultures. Reflecting on Czech culture she added, “They have such a dark history but they’ve been able to maintain such a national identity. There’s a lot of pride in being Czech and being an independent country.”
In a way, a semester abroad can rewire your brain chemistry. By taking yourself out of the Bates bubble, and into the broader world, you’re reminded that your path is of your own choosing. There are millions and millions of people living their lives across the globe, not always driven by the next milestone or resumé point, but equally as rich in life experience. It can also lead you to a place of gratitude for the chrysalis that is Bates, and a contentment with the self that is invaluable.
