Studying abroad might be something that seems daunting for most people as it involves venturing into a different country, with a completely different and unfamiliar environment. Although, as scary as it may seem, pursuing education overseas has become a primary goal to some who seek better academic opportunities. It happens that on 11th December 2024, UCIC (Universitas Ciputra International Community) hosted an online talk show that explored and shed light on this very case.
For December, UCIC decided to invite a special guest, Victoria Janae Supit. She is an IISMA awardee that had the incredible opportunity to study abroad at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States. As the title “Breaking the Bubble: The Life-Changing Perspectives of Studying Abroad” suggests, Victoria shared her experiences and insights to studying abroad, allowing to shed a new light and perspective on studying abroad.
To provide some context, the University of Texas at Austin is recognized as one of the top public universities in the United States. In which, as of recently, it holds the #66 spot in the QS World University Rankings 2025. Not to mention that it is home to the fifth fastest supercomputer in the world, Frontera. Still, with numerous more achievements left to mention, it would still be safe to conclude that the University of Texas at Austin stands as quite the prestigious university.
During the talk show, Victoria shared her struggles that she faced, recounting how her initial attempt for IISMA got rejected. But rather than being demotivated, Victoria instead chose to use the setback as an opportunity for growth by identifying the areas in which she lacks through successful applicants’ experiences and trusted individuals’ advices, engaging in her own journey for self improvement which led to her successful reapplication for IISMA 2024. Concluding how self-efficacy was essential towards her goal for IISMA.
She then continued with sharing her overall experience during her time studying abroad. A key worthy point shared was how overwhelmed and “burnt out” she felt initially during her efforts to seize and engage in every opportunity there was to offer. A prompt to practice mindfulness allowed her to reassess goals and focus on which aligns personally.
Toward the end of the session, Victoria offered valuable advice on how to maximise the time when studying abroad. In which, firstly, she encouraged the importance of breaking out of the comfort zone by challenging yourself with courses within your scope of limitation in hopes to foster personal growth. And additionally, stressed the importance to explore and capture diverse opportunities ranging from internship to research.
Something noteworthy to mention is Victoria’s reminder to have the right mindset and mentality when approaching studying abroad. She highlighted how embracing life opportunities should also be essential, that despite failures and challenges, people should practice gratitude, self compassion and also in building self confidence.
A few notable points that emerged during the Q & A session included students asking initial intimidation to the diverse set of skills displayed by the students in Austin. In which Victoria addressed this by offering a healthier perspective which emphasizes that people have different strengths and weaknesses. And in response to another question regarding support, Victoria also mentioned the need for a support system to rely on. This advice rounded off the talk show, leaving the audience with practical insights and encouragement for their own respective journeys.