Ultimate Study Abroad Bucket List
Are you looking for study abroad bucket list ideas? You’re in the right place!
Studying abroad was the absolute highlight of my college experience. I was an exchange student at a university in Paris, France. I had the time of my life living in Paris, and it made me wish I had done my entire degree abroad. Returning to the US for the rest of college after studying abroad was so hard.
I made the most of my study abroad experience, and if you’re creating a study abroad bucket list, then I assume you want to do the same thing. Below, I’ve put together a big list of study abroad bucket list ideas.
A lot of people do the classic “study abroad in Europe” thing, but I’ve tried to make the ideas below as general as possible so you can do them regardless of where you are studying abroad. So you won’t see specific destination recommendations, since I know that not everyone studies abroad in Europe.
Without further ado, let’s get into the study abroad bucket list ideas…
1. Learn the local language.
Learning the language of the country where you’re studying abroad is a great thing to do. You don’t have to become totally fluent, but you should definitely pick up the basics. I chose France to study abroad because I had already studied French for several years, but I improved so much once I lived there.
2. Meet other international students.
My best friends when I studied abroad were other international students who were also doing an exchange year. If your exchange university offers an orientation or any social events at the start of the year, you should definitely make an effort to attend everything. This is a great way to meet new friends.
3. Make local friends.
I found that it was actually harder to meet local French friends when I studied abroad, but I did make a few. They all came from one of the classes I took, where I was the only foreign student. It definitely takes some effort, and you might have to put yourself out there, but it’s worth it to make connections with locals.
4. Join a club, team, or activity at your exchange university.
A great way to break out of the “international student bubble” is to join a club, team, or activity at your exchange university. This could be a recreational sports team, a choir, a photography club, a student-run newspaper, or something else. It’s a great way to bond over shared interests with other students.
5. Attend an event at your exchange university.
Make a point to attend at least one event that your exchange university puts on, whether it’s a lecture with a cool speaker, a concert or play, or a social event. For example, my exchange university held a formal ball every spring. This was a super popular event, and it was so much fun to dress up and attend it.
6. Immerse yourself in the local cuisine.
When living in another country, you have an amazing experience to get to know the local cuisine. Make it a mission to try as many local foods as possible. You might not love everything, but you’ll quickly discover your favorite spots. For me in Paris, this meant trying all the pastries and macarons.
7. Document your study abroad experience.
Take photos and videos every day while you study abroad, even of the mundane things, like your walk to class or the local grocery store. I also highly recommend writing about your study abroad experience, whether that’s in a journal for yourself, or maybe even by starting a blog to share with the world.
8. Attend a local festival.
Every country has its own unique festivals and celebrations, and planning to attend one is a must. For example, if you study abroad in Spain, you could attend the famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, La Tomatina (a giant food fight with tomatoes) in Buñol, or Feria de Abril in Sevilla.
9. Take as many weekend trips as you can.
This one is something many people associate with studying abroad in Europe, because you have so many destinations at your fingertips with student train passes and budget airlines making it easy to visit new countries every weekend. But honestly, this is something that you can do anywhere.
10. Stay in a hostel.
Hostels are a great way to save money when traveling as a student. It’s not glamorous (you’ll be sleeping in dorm rooms and sharing a bathroom with strangers), but it’s cheap. This is one of the best ways to make weekend trips affordable. Plus, many hostels organize social events and activities.
11. Go on day trips for a micro-adventure.
If you’re on a tight budget, you might not be able to take a ton of weekend trips while studying abroad. And that’s okay! In fact, I wouldn’t recommend traveling every weekend anyway. Taking day trips by train or bus is just as fun, and it’s an amazing way to explore more of the country where you’re living.
12. Do something alone that scares you.
This could be something as big as taking a solo weekend trip, or something as small as going out to dinner at a nice restaurant by yourself. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can feel scary, but it’s worth it. If there’s something you want to do, don’t wait for others to come with you — just do it alone.
13. Get lost on purpose in your study abroad city.
Spend an afternoon wandering around your city and intentionally getting lost. Turn your phone all the way off and just start walking. You’ll be amazed at what you discover. Turn down streets you’ve never been on before, walk in a completely new direction, and stop anywhere that seems interesting. It’s a lot of fun!
14. Attend a local sporting event.
I’m not a sports fan, so I didn’t do this, but I know a lot of people who do this and have a great time. Even if you don’t care about sports, a local sporting event is a unique cultural experience with an exciting atmosphere. Whether it’s soccer, rugby, cricket, or something else, get tickets and go.
15. Become a regular at a neighborhood shop or cafe.
Find “your spot” and go there several times per week, whether it’s a local coffee shop, a fresh produce market, or a cafe. It’s so nice when people start recognizing you and greeting you. Becoming a regular somewhere makes you feel connected to your adopted home (and you can practice your language skills!)
16. Stay out all night.
Okay, this is something you definitely shouldn’t make a habit of doing, but you’ve got to do it at least once. When I studied abroad in Paris, the Metro closed at 1 AM and reopened at 6 AM, so there were a couple of nights where my friends and I just decided to stay out until the early hours of the morning.
17. Have a “no spend” weekend.
If you’re on a tight budget and need to recover from too many trips or nights out, have a “no spend” weekend in your study abroad city. Make a point of only doing free activities, like visiting free museums, checking out a new park, going on a local hike, and enjoying a picnic lunch in a scenic spot.
18. Go to a concert or music festival.
I highly recommend attending a concert or music festival while studying abroad! You can see if any of your favorite artists will be on tour in your city, or you can check out a new-to-you local artist. Music festivals in other countries are also fun, especially famous ones like Tomorrowland in Belgium.
19. Take the cheapest flight you can find.
This one is easiest to do in Europe (home of famously cheap airlines like Ryanair and easyJet), but you can do this anywhere. Book the cheapest flight you can find going anywhere, pack extremely light (just a small backpack and you’re guaranteed to avoid any luggage fees), and have fun exploring.
20. Host a visitor from back home.
This might not be possible for everyone due to timing, airfare, and other factors, but if you have the chance, hosting visitors from back home while you study abroad is a great experience. I had friends and family come to visit me in Paris, and it was nice to play tour guide show them around my new city.
21. Master the local transportation system.
When you first arrive, you might feel overwhelmed by public transportation in your city. Subways, buses, and trams can be confusing, especially in a foreign country. But it’s so satisfying to finally master the local transportation system so that you can navigate your way around the city with ease.
22. Celebrate a local holiday.
If your study abroad country has unique local holidays, you should definitely dive into the celebrations. For example, in France, Bastille Day is a big deal. It’s celebrated with parades and fireworks on July 14, and commemorates the Storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution.
23. Volunteer in your adopted home.
Volunteering in your study abroad city is a great way to get connected with the local community and give back. It could be something like volunteering at a food pantry, donating blood, working at an animal shelter. Your exchange university might be able to help you get connected to volunteer opportunities.
24. Enroll in a cool class that you wouldn’t ordinarily take.
One of the things I enjoyed most about studying abroad was the unique elective classes I got to take at my exchange university. If you have the chance, definitely enroll in a class just because it sounds interesting to you, and not because you feel obligated to take it. That’s what free electives are for!
25. Actually make good grades!
Finally, remember that it’s called study abroad for a reason. Yes, you should make time for socializing and traveling, but don’t forget to focus on academics either. The French grading system is very different from the American one, but I was pleased that all my grades transferred back as As.
Ultimate Study Abroad Bucket List
I hope you found some ideas for your own study abroad bucket list from this.
Studying abroad is an incredible experience. As I mentioned earlier, it was the highlight of college for me, and really set me off on a life filled with travel. So enjoy it, and don’t forget to make the most of it!
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