The stresses of the college selection and acceptance process can zap the fun right out of college. As a high school guidance counselor, you are well aware of the effects preparing for college has on your high school students.

Seniors, in particular, sometimes enter a zombie-like state where their sole focus is college applications, letters of recommendation, scholarships, financial aid, FAFSAs and acceptance or rejection letters. They loose sight of the perks of college like making new friends, academic exploration, unlimited social opportunities and the chance to experience the world first hand through study abroad programs.

Every college and university offers students the opportunity to study in a foreign country for a semester, a year or a short-term summer session through study abroad programs. According to Princeton Review, more than 150,000 undergraduate students participate each year in various study abroad programs in countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Oceana and aboard ships in different parts of the world.

Study abroad programs offer students the chance to interact directly with different cultures instead of just reading about them in a text book. Students are able to learn new languages, adopt new customs, sample new cuisine, gain new perspective on the world through the educational system of a different country and have adventures that most college students can only dream of having.

High school guidance counselors can help their students deal with the stresses of the college preparation process by reminding them of the pluses of the college experience. Introduce your students to the study abroad opportunities that await them in college while they are still high school.