“Get out the map, get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down.” The Indigo Girls

So I thought my editor would probably want me to get back to what I told him my “niche” would be: Wisdom for college students from a graduate student with a decade of real world experience.

One thing I wish I had done in college or before I was saddled with commitments was study or travel abroad.

I was reminded of this recently as I read the novel “Prague,” about a group of young American expatriates in Europe during the fall of the Soviet Union and talking to an old University friend who did a fellowship in London the summer before our senior year.

Starting out undergrad, studying or maybe interning abroad was one of my vague goals. I at least wanted to do the stereotypical backpack, or at least Eurorail, around Europe before joining the real world.

I did not pursue it for a couple of reasons.

For me, being in school here with my friends and activities was so much fun I did not want to leave. I did not want to miss anything here.

I also did not think I had the money to do it. I always worked like a madman during summers off.

Both of my reasons for not doing it still make sense, but perhaps it would have been good to step back and do some research before writing it off.

College might be the best time to spend quality time abroad. For many of us, it is now or once we retire.

Once you graduate and start working, you will likely have a few weeks of vacation a year. You might use a week of those days for day trips or honey-do projects. A trip to Europe or Australia gets a lot more expensive when you factor in a spouse or kids. Also, how much can you really see and truly experience in 10 days on a guided tour?

Why not take classes or do an internship that counts toward your degree or gains you valuable experience? Depending on where you go, you may or may not even need to know the local language.

While I never did it, I know several people who did and are glad they did.

A cousin took classes and taught English in South Korea. He was a minor celebrity there, a 6’3″ football player from southern California.

His brother took another route. Fed up with his sales job, he quit and bartended in Ireland for a few months.

Another friend studied in China. I have a cool wall-hanging and completely insane Mao lighter that looks and sounds like a jet engine from her trip. (I caution against one of her side adventures: dating her Chinese professor, probably a bad idea in Asia or any other continent.)

Another friend interned in Australia while in graduate school. That may be the most ideal time to find an internship abroad according to the University’s Center for International Programs. If you have interest in traveling while in school, call the Center.

The University has a goal of having 10 percent of its students study abroad by 2010. Usually you can find financial aid, such as loans, fellowships, scholarships or even a job. There also is a lot of information at: http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/abroad.

If you are not able to study abroad, make it a priority to travel before the commitments start piling up.

Another friend knew he was headed to law school in the fall so he took the job he hated and shoved it and went to Europe for a month, a trip he had talked about for a decade but finally had an opportunity to do.

He played guitar in hostels in Ireland and even got arrested in Prague. He knew after law school he would not have the time to just float around for a month. Fortunately, he also had the extra cash to indulge his dream.

A guy I work with has the right idea. He has money deposited directly into a European trip fund each week.

He and his girlfriend want to go there in the next few years, before they have kids and full-time careers and commitments.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

Another friend is a government contractor with about six weeks of vacation a year, is single, and has loads of disposable income. She’s been to France and India in the past six months and is planning to go to Argentina and Africa in the next year.

My advice is consider it now while in school or before you get tied down.

But watch your bags. You don’t want to end up in the “Brokedown Palace” with Claire Danes or tripping yourself into a video game like Leo in “The Beach.”