I had been wanting to live overseas since I was little. Where I grew up in Japan is not diverse, which I like now a lot, but back then, I was curious about the world outside and wanted to experience something different.
High School
During high school, I really wanted to study abroad, but no one around me had done it before. I didn’t know where to begin or how to turn that dream into reality. I was fortunate to have the chance to go on short study abroad programs to Brisbane (Australia), Cebu (Philippines), and Boston (USA). These experiences were eye-opening and helped me make the decision to pursue a college degree abroad. Luckily, my family supported me, and that’s when we started researching how to make it all happen.
College
Since schools in Japan end in March, I didn’t want to waste time with a gap. So, I looked for universities on the quarter system, which allowed me to start sooner and move faster. That decision helped me complete my associate degree in just 1 year and 3 months (5 quarters).
University
I continued on and finished my bachelor’s degree in just 6 more quarters, meaning I completed all of college in 3 years total. One of my goals was to finish school early so I could start working as soon as possible. This wouldn’t have been possible if I had stayed in Japan or gone to a semester-based school. I graduated with a major in Communication and a minor in Entrepreneurship.