The two questions that freshmen hear from upperclassmen are generally “So how do you like Pepperdine?” and “Did you apply to go overseas next year?” The healthy statistics concerning the percentage of students (more than half) who study abroad during their undergraduate experience at Pepperdine builds up the prospect of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Information sessions at New Student Orientation the abundance of International Programs fliers and e-mails to which freshies are exposed and fairytale travel stories from returning juniors all increase the hype.
By Oct. 30 students who applied to study abroad in their second year at Pepperdine are fairly chomping at the bit to discover their sophomore year fate. But hold on dear students and follow these basic guidelines for handling your mailbox on IP Decision Release Day.Be patient. International Programs promises to have decision packets in mailboxes by 5 p.m. on Friday Oct. 30. Overeager freshmen are likely to overanalyze this timeframe assuming that “by” could very well mean “before” 5 p.m. Wrong dear freshies. A bunch of you applied to munch strudel and crepes which means there are a whole lot of envelopes to deliver. Don’t waste your Friday by checking your mailbox before 5 p.m. as much as you do Facebook. Chill out by the fountain until 5:10 or so and then take a leisurely stroll into the Sandbar to avoid the rush.
Be confident. Know that the effort you put into your application (which it’s hoped was well thought-out and sincere) will have done its work long before decision packets arrive. If your short answers came from the heart you can have confidence that the kind folks in the IP office and your potential future faculty family made an informed decision. The International Programs application process is designed to place students in the most ideal groups in the locations that are most appropriate for them. Trust in the system!
Hakuna matata. Did you get placed in your first choice location? Second? Are you waitlisted or were you denied altogether? Though it can be very difficult to do— and you may not be able to right away— keep the sunny side up in terms of your reaction to the contents of your decision packet. Every single study abroad location from London to Lausanne offers incredible educational and travel opportunities; there truly isn’t a second-rate program.
If you didn’t get placed in your first choice program no worries; just get ready for a different adventure than you initially had in mind. If you were denied a spot take some time to recover and look forward to an incredible second year at Pepperdine regardless of where you spend it.
Think it through. Even though it’s important not to develop hernias over the results of this fateful day something as big as the location of your sophomore year of college deserves careful contemplation. Pray about your decision to accept your position to go for one semester or to enjoy the wonders of the Malibu program. Talk to family and friends who have been admitted to your own program and others in order to get a handle on the reality that 365 days from now you may be shopping in Shanghai or hanging out in Heidelberg. If you weren’t placed consider applying for summer programs and think about the waitlist: some students choose to drop which may allow you an opportunity to step in. There are more study abroad options than what comes out Oct. 30 so don’t limit yourself. Think carefully about all your choices before deciding on one journey to take.
Be open. Stay open to new opportunities that may present themselves between decision release day and your first day overseas. Life has a funny way of changing your plans even (especially) when you think you’ve got them set in stone. If you do decide to study abroad one of the first lessons you’ll learn is that the best adventures in life are the ones unplanned. Make a decision but open yourself to all of the possibilities.
Get excited. Most important look forward to what your sophomore year has in store. Share the news with family and friends from home and connect with the students on campus with whom you’ll be studying overseas. Those kids are your future family members the ones with whom you’ll stumble over the Spanish language and hike through the Alps. Start making a list of travel destinations where you’ll probably lose your passport and run into some incredible locals that will change your life. Know that education is a blessing regardless of where it takes place. Get stoked.