Studying abroad is a wonderful experience, and I highly suggest everyone with the opportunity to go to a foreign country for a semester or a month seize it. You get to be a part of a city, not just a tourist. You get to stay long enough in one place that people might even ask you for directions — usually when you’re wearing workout clothes because that signifies you’re a local.

You get to live in another city without the added stress of working a real job, and most of the time you can even take classes in English rather than a foreign language. That being said, some students can’t afford the time or the money it takes to study abroad. But don’t let all the cool Instagram pictures your study abroad friends are posting get you down in the dumps. There are some ways you can get a taste of studying abroad without leaving MU.

1.) Go on a lot of day trips. Find some friends and head to a nearby Missouri town you might have heard of but have never actually set foot in. You can also take the Megabus to Kansas City or St. Louis if you don’t have a car.

Find an obscure museum or make a list of cool thrift shops to hit up. If you have already been to KC or STL, pick a state park you haven’t been to and go geocaching. That way you will be forced to use maps and get lost, just as if you were in a foreign country.

2.) Ask a lot of stupid questions. Don’t be afraid to look stupid. I ask stupid questions in Italian every day that are probably equivalent to someone asking what color the sky is. If you have always wanted to know where that girl in your class got her cool shoes, ask her. If you have always wondered if that guy who sits behind you in class would want to hang out with you, ask him. You might be surprised with their answer, and I guarantee you will learn something new.

3.) Make a big change in your life, and learn how to deal with it. Dye your hair. Delete your Facebook. Donate your Xbox to charity. Cope with it. Realize that your life will still be great, even though it is different. Moving to a different country forces you to make a huge change in your life, but there are other ways to change besides your geographical location or school.

4.) Hang out with people you wouldn’t normally hang out with. Even if you aren’t a freshman, pretend you are again. Befriend someone you don’t know and invite them for a coffee or to that cool thrift shop party you are going to this weekend.

Studying abroad is about learning from new people just as much as new places. Get involved with the international students and clubs at MU. Language sharing through the Women’s Center is a great way to learn from people from different cultures.

5.) Explore Columbia like you’ll only be there for another month. Still a senior and never made it to the cliffs at Capen Park? Go after class on a nice day. Go for a bike ride on MKT Trail. Go to a show at Roxy’s or Mojo’s. Eat at a restaurant you haven’t been to before. Explore every last hidden treasure of Columbia like it’s your last semester.

6.) Be independent. Go to a coffee shop alone — walk even a little further from your usual coffee stomping grounds and go to Lakota or Coffee Zone instead of going to Starbucks like you do every day. Check out one of Columbia’s museums alone, such as the Museum of Anthropology right on campus. Don’t be afraid to go out alone.

No matter where you’re studying in college, you have the chance to experience new things and learn from them. That’s what studying abroad is all about. Ciao for now!