3 Reasons Why You Should Join a Club or Sports Team While Studying Abroad in the U.S.

Life on campus in the United States is completely different from life on campus at my French university, and I believe from most other countries. Here, students are living on campus. There are plenty of events and activities of all kinds. There is also a large amount of student athletes. They are on a sports team, have training every day and compete against other universities throughout the academic year. It’s a serious business! However, there are some clubs and teams that are open to everyone.

At the beginning of the semester I showed up to the try-outs of the Contemporary Dance Team at East Stroudsburg University. I didn’t know what to expect. Now I am fully happy about this experience!

These are the reasons why you should be part of a club or a sports team while you’re studying abroad in the U.S.:

1. Spend time with American people.

As an international student I spend a lot of time with other international students. Maybe it’s because we are all here to experience a multitude of things, try every activity, go on trips on the weekends and spend a lot of time having fun. However, the main goal of any international student is to be friends with locals. And being on the Dance Team allowed me to meet so many people. I am now friends with entire team and we are spending time together outside practices.

2. Be part of a family.

One thing that I noticed on the campus it’s that Americans are really into “bonding.” They have this particular idea of what a community should look like. The first thing that the president of the Dance Team told us at our first practice was: “Now we are a family, I will always be there for you, you can ask me everything.” It’s something nice to hear when you are far away from your own family!

3. You are not considered as an “international” anymore.

Okay, we all love being “international.” It’s like a bypass for everything when you are studying abroad. Yet, every exchange student secretly dreams about being considered as a true local and for me as an American girl. And you know what, when I am with my Dance Team it feels like it!

So what are you waiting for?

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