While many students will trek across campus next semester to Poe, Harrelson and Dabney Halls in accordance with their new class schedules, a select group of study abroad students will be trekking upon not just a new path, but a new land, to get to class.

In addition to foreign teaching styles, study abroad students will contend with different cultures, customs and, in some cases, foreign languages.

For some, it will be their first time on foreign soil.

Katie McCree, a junior in textile and apparel management, said she is especially excited about her fast-approaching semester at The University of Manchester, U.K, since it will be her first experience out of the country.

McCree said she selected the study abroad program at Manchester for its textiles program and because the school allowed her to receive credit for her textile courses at N.C. State.

However, other students in the program will bring with them extensive traveling experience to their spring destination.

Emily Greene, a junior in biology and nutrition, visited France and Peru before deciding to study abroad at the University College Cork in Ireland. Greene said she based part of her decision to study in Ireland on the interesting nutrition classes the school offers.

Greene said “it didn’t seem real” when she discovered she had been accepted into the program.

And while Greene said her situation is positive, studying abroad is not an absolute certainty for many students. Greene said, since she knew some students who didn’t get their desired positions, she didn’t want to plan on the trip until she heard the final word.

Though the study abroad process isn’t quite as initial as buying a plane ticket and enrolling in a few classes. According to Greene, while applying for study abroad is not a difficult process, it is time-consuming.

“There are a lot of steps,” Greene said. She said though she began her application ahead of time it can be stressful writing the required essays, especially if they are saved until the last minute.

Another factor Greene said needs to be considered when applying is the desired university’s credit transfer system. Greene said she knew people who had difficulty transferring their course credits, which delayed, if not ended, the process.

Now that the application process for the spring 2008 semester is over for many, students can begin the next stage of their journey: planning and preparation.

McCree said she has been focusing on getting tickets not only for her trip to Manchester but also for her other planned excursions.

“I’ll have a lot of down time and be able to travel around Europe,” McCree said.

She described this aspect as the most exciting part of the trip — she said she is highly anticipating her spring break, which spans three weeks, when she will have to explore Paris and other parts of Europe.

Greene said she is mainly preparing for her trip by acquiring a wardrobe that will suit Ireland’s dismal weather. Greene said that after hearing from a friend about the frequent rain there, she went to the mall and bought rain boots and a raincoat.

But study abroad programs aren’t just about earning course credit — Greene is looking forward to removing herself from her hometown of Cary and getting out of Raleigh. She said she can’t wait to be exposed to the unique music in Ireland as well as the beautiful scenery.

“I can’t wait to look out my window and not see brick,” she said, referencing N.C. State’s prominent architectural foundation.

Greene said she views the length of her study abroad semester a significant benefit. While Greene said she enjoyed her trip to Peru, the four-week stay was an insufficient slot of time to make friends and get acclimated to the lifestyle.

In addition, she said she mostly spent time with other NCSU students on the trip, which limited her experience.

On her trip to Ireland, Greene said she hopes to truly experience the culture and be able to compare it with that of the U.S. and other foreign cultures. She said she believes becoming immersed in another culture will allow her to be more “open-minded and have a different perspective.”

Both Greene and McCree acknowledge the benefits of studying abroad to their careers. McCree said she hopes that while experiencing a foreign culture she will be able to network overseas.

“You never know where your job will take you,” Greene said.