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Studying Abroad Makes You Creative

Cultural immersion enhances humor, innovation

By Liam Carnahan,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2012 10:40 AM CDT

(Newser) – If you want to be creative, consider studying abroad. Researchers at the University of Florida, Gainesville, found that students who'd studied in Senegal, Spain, or wherever were more creative than those who had stayed home, reports Pacific Standard. Participants were tested on their reactions to unexpected questions—like how walking on air or having a different skin color would affect their lives.

The study measured creativity by the number of answers a student gave and how innovative or funny they were. Those who had left the country not only outperformed the US-only students, but also those who planned on going away—showing that students who study abroad aren't just more creative by nature. “Cultural experiences from living abroad have wide-reaching benefits on students’ creativity," the study authors wrote. However, if a plane ticket is out of reach, maybe you can afford a cup of coffee instead.

Want to encourage creativity? Then you might want to consider traveling abroad during college.
Want to encourage creativity? Then you might want to consider traveling abroad during college.   (Flickr (photo by: neclis))
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
SanityPreservation
Aug 13, 2012 4:28 AM CDT
My take on this is that travelling forces you to be more vigilant, more open to other possibilities and more open-minded towards other cultures. One thing leads to another. I don't think it is the studying alone that does it.
apocalypso
Aug 13, 2012 3:55 AM CDT
From now on I won't bother to read the articles either, then I also won't notice how mindblowingly stupid the comments are. purple blender proletariat melonballer woodcarving bushwack mcgee, fiddledeedee! Let's all just say random words, with no regard for whether they have any relevance to the article. Reading is boring, but commenting is fun!
lvan
Aug 12, 2012 8:16 PM CDT
That's because education in Europe is actual education and not indoctrination.
 

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