Kat’s Adventure Abroad, Part One
Get insight about studying abroad from fashion student Katherine Diaz Villegas, who is spending her winter quarter in Hong Kong.
by Katherine Diaz Villegas
Traveling has always been a dream of mine — not as a tourist, swimming in a sea of tightly controlled waters, but as an explorer. To really engulf myself in new places and cultures. To live “as the locals do,” as some might say. Though I would love to spend my days just sightseeing and relaxing, I wanted to have a purpose in my travels.
At SCAD, you have a unique opportunity unlike other higher education institutions. With locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Hong Kong and Lacoste, France, how do you even choose where you would like to spend the next couple of years?
I started out in the Atlanta campus as that was close to home, but dreamed of maybe venturing out into the other locations. Specific locations also benefit certain majors, like painting and photography in Lacoste, and fashion or advertising in Hong Kong. As a fashion major — and Hong Kong being one of the leading cities in the fashion industry — I was already planning on one day going to study there. This was the loophole I had found to my dream of travelling. Including my education and career in the venture would be the purpose of living abroad.
The actual process of applications, paperwork, class selections, visa, etc., are somewhat lengthy but ultimately worth it. If you are interested in studying abroad, planning is key. Start at least two quarters in advance. To give you a better idea, I applied during spring quarter of 2017 to study abroad during winter quarter of 2018. You want to start by making sure your major is available at the specific location, or that you haven’t taken all the foundation courses yet. For instance, writing is not offered at the Hong Kong location but is offered at the rest, while architecture is primarily offered in Savannah with limited classes in Lacoste. From there, you can look up the specific classes offered two or three quarters in advance. Using the study abroad website, you can then apply for the specific program you would like. You would then be notified in a couple weeks if you were accepted into the program of your choice. Lacoste is more difficult to get into because of the limited spots, but you should always apply if you can.
As a student, I believe studying abroad is one of the most beneficial experiences you could do. Not only do you get to travel, and enjoy a new surroundings and new cultures, but you also expand any potential opportunities in your career.
During my quarter abroad, I will be documenting my journey through a series of articles and including tips and tricks, a sort of guide to my experience. Check back soon for my next article.