Make The Most of Studying Abroad

Make The Most of Studying Abroad. Studying abroad can be one of the most interesting, enriching, and educational experiences of your life. It’s challenging to adapt and familiarize yourself in a new culture. However, if you only hang out with people from your home country or spend your time in your room, you may as well have stayed at home.

The following are some top tips on how to make the most of your study abroad experience:

1. Set specific goals

Tiffany Harrison, the Outreach Manager of GoAbroad, an online travel community said that you have to set goals for yourself when going abroad and make a plan to realize it.

2. Befriend the locals

In Students Gone Global- a blog for study abroad students, the writer, Dave Matthew, suggested that you should make at least one (1) local friend, be it in a community service group or a sports club. It can be tempting to find a group of other students from your home country, but if you only spend time with them, what’s the point of studying abroad?

Figure 1. Wisata menambah wawasanmu. Credit: Velocity.edu

3. Try everything

The point of studying abroad is to experience a new culture, so you need to try to experience everything you can. Take classes that are interesting and related to the local culture. You can also sign up for field trips and see the side of the country from local point of view.

4. Consider getting a job or an internship.

There are also internship opportunities available for international students. The majority of employment opportunities and resources could be found through your university’s international student center.

5. Avoid dangerous situations

You should do lots of research to stay out of trouble. Understand which areas are safe to be in and which aren’t.

6. 

   Figure 2. Be wise with budget. Credit: Freestock

   Budget carefully

With a careful budget planning, you will be able to save money for useful things. Be aware of how much you had spent, and how much you can afford to spend. It’s very easy to spend all of your savings by making poor decisions.

7. Don’t let your grades fall

Don’t forget that you’re here to study abroad. Have fun, but not so much that you can ruin your grades. Try to balance between experiencing the country and keeping up with your coursework.

8. Take an active approach to fighting homesickness.

Stay positive and you should remember that homesickness doesn’t last forever. Stay connected to people back home by writing emails, using Skype, and even making time for phone calls. Getting out and staying social is the best way to avoid homesickness.

You are only abroad for a few years, and it will be one of the quickest and maybe the most fun times of your life. Don’t leave with regrets because you cannot take advantage of every new opportunity out there. Remember that your study abroad experiences and memories will last a lifetime. Make the most of it!