<p>If you are currently feeling depressed and unmotivated about your studies at home, is it a good idea to get away and spend a semester abroad?</p>
<p>It depends. If you have a depression disorder you will likely be taking that with you. But if it is mild, then it might not matter. If you are just needing a change of pace, some excitement of a new country should be great.</p>
<p>I agree with BrownParent–it depends on a lot of things.</p>
<p>I think it mostly depends on why you’re depressed and unmotivated, and what kind of a person you are. If you’re someone that thrives on change and new adventures, and you feel stuck in your current situation, then you might find study abroad to be exactly what you need. On the other hand, if you’re depressed because you’re unhappy with your social life or you’re unmotivated with your classes because you’re overwhelmed or because college isn’t what you thought it would be, then you may find that going abroad could make things even worse. It’s easy to fall into a feeling that “the grass is greener” in another country or at another school, but if you’re struggling here, then you may very well struggle elsewhere. So I would recommend figuring out why you’re unhappy and unmotivated and decide whether any of that would change if you went to another country.</p>
<p>If you’re clinically depressed and being treated though, definitely check with your physician and/or therapist before you make such a big change.</p>
<p>I agree that it depends on a lot of factors, especially on the severity of your depression. If you do have documented depression, the study abroad coordinators would probably urge you to really reflect on if it’s something you should do. To help you start reflecting, WHY do you want to study abroad? To enhance your language acquisition? To taste and experience a new culture? To get away from your home institution? To get away from your problems?</p>
<p>Also, might I suggest you consider doing a summer study abroad program (at least before committing to a full semester one)? They’re usually between 3 and 6 weeks and can help you determine if you could handle being abroad for a longer duration. You can also potentially get credits for school, and sometimes they even have faculty-lead trips that make it a lot less intimidating and so a great way for you to warm up to a more involved immersion. That’s actually what I’ll be doing this summer, and it’s a great way to prepare for the future semester that I’m trying to coordinate.</p>