Studying Abroad, The Mini-Series. Part 1: Your Why?

With all the recent uprisings in our country, many students are now looking at the possibilities of studying in another country. It is no news that our education system is in crutches right now making it impossible for students to achieve a standard education. And even schools with standard education cost almost break-neck prices. Not to mention the unlimited time bundle we all enroll in when we matriculate. Spending 6 years in a 4-year course is not the way leaders are trained. Anyway all these aside, I have decided to start this mini-series explaining my admissions process and experience as a Nigerian.

images from thecollegeinvestor and schoolapply

Note this is just my experience but I felt it would be important to put it out there because when I was applying I found it difficult to see or learn from other students like me who had completed the entire application-to-admission process so here goes.

The first thing I'd like to address is the mindset of the applicant. That's you. Making the decision to study in another country is a big one and if you make this decision, you have to prepare to go through a lot of rigorous processes. Treat this as an immigration process if you will but with a little more rigor because you also have to get into school. Of course, this might begin to sound impossible but it is not because many people have done it and are still doing it. You probably know someone who knows someone who is studying abroad which is cool but often times the process is watered down to writing an exam, applying, and getting scholarships which sound easy until it isn't. So yes, it is definitely possible to study abroad in another country but please keep in mind that the process just like any other travel process is tough and requires resilience and a strong mind.

As the title indicates, this post is about finding out why you want to go? "Really, Kamikun?" you might ask. "Umm, I don't know. Nigeria!" Yes, that is true but we also need to understand that choosing to study abroad is more than escaping Nigeria (winking at those guys) but also you need to have a strong reason. If it was everyone who hated their Nigerian University who could travel abroad, there'd be very few people left in any University in the country so you have to find something apart from just a change in scenery to propel you. Everyone has that foundation reason, "bad country, bad unis" but you need to find something more specific to you. Something that makes YOU stand out, that would make YOU a better applicant and that would make YOU resilient, that would continue to motivate you even if everything seems to be spiraling downwards.

Is there a problem you want to dedicate your life to fix, is there something that you desperately wish you could learn but have no chance in your home town? Are you tired of always being between a rock and hard place? Dedicating your career to building a way out is a good motivation. You've probably seen one or two of those crowdfunding things that people do for those who get partial scholarships but still need help raising the rest? You'd probably noticed that most of those people who were successful did not only have a why that applied to themselves but to others around them; to their family, communities, and even their countries. Finding your genuine "why" can give that strength to keep on going even when you are discouraged because then you know that your success is not only for you but for others. That's the mindset that is ready to fight.

Last but not least, ASK GOD!!! People always forget this step a lot. Not everyone is meant to study abroad and this does not mean the end of the world. Everyone has the path that has been created for them and that path leads to maximum fulfillment. Maybe your time isn't the undergraduate school but graduate school, maybe it is after, maybe it is none of them. Remember no matter the circumstances that surround you, God is the one who has the final say. Changing your location or your educational country does not change God's plan for you. He already designed it before you were born. No leader in the bible ever failed because they did not get the better portion of things, instead, it made them more disciplined, driven, and resilient.

The goal of this series is not to provide an escape route for people who are "just tired of this country". I'm sorry but even though some people might be called to relocate and all, I believe that to fix a country, the people actually have to be in the country but that is a story for another day so, with that in mind, I'd like to welcome you to the Studying Abroad mini-series, where I share my experience as a Nigerian who is studying abroad.

Hope you enjoyed this post and maybe learned a thing or two. Remember if you have any questions, you can ask in the comment section. Just scroll waaaaayyy down. It's there, somewhere. And if you want to get notifications on new posts, you can subscribe to my newsletter. It's only for notifications so need to worry about one million emails. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Thank you for your time and patience and Merry Christmas.

Kamikun.