Congratulations! You have received a long-awaited invitation to the university of your choice, and very soon, you will start studying disciplines that will help you master your future profession. It sounds very promising and optimistic, but future students may often worry about changing their usual place of residence, finding a new circle of friends, a language barrier, and other unknown things awaiting them in a foreign country. Well, now is the time to take a deep breath, exhale, and after reading the following tips, realize that everything will be all right.
How to Make Most of Your Student Life as a Foreigner
So, tip number one: give yourself time to adapt. At first, it may seem that everything around you is not as you imagined, you may be overwhelmed by the feeling that you are not in the right place, and so on. But remember that in addition to you, dozens of other first-year students have come to your educational institution who, like you, will have to get used to the new rules and traditions.
The new environment will be full of surprises, both pleasant and not so much, so try to take the time to get acquainted with the mentality of the country where you are going to study, learn what the norm is and what is unacceptable to its citizens.
The same applies to the educational institution in which you will study. Often, special meetings can be held for new students at which they will be told about the basic rules of behavior and features of the educational process. Still, if you yourself do a little research on information from available sources, it will only benefit you.
One of the biggest fears of international students who have to travel to another country is another language. However, studying in a language other than your native language should in no way be the reason for your refusal to study abroad. Typically, students have to take a language proficiency test at a certain level to be admitted to classes. If you manage to pass this exam, you do not have to worry – you will be able to improve your language proficiency level in the first year of study.
The beginning of a long friendship between young people begins with the usual conversation about topics that excite all newcomers – you yourself will not notice how you will become part of a multicultural community. You just need to show a little initiative. And you probably know that learning about the background of people from other countries is very exciting. Therefore, do not be afraid to communicate and make new acquaintances while being very polite and friendly. If you do not understand something, do not hesitate to ask your new friends and the teachers, who know just fine what difficulties international students face and will be happy to answer your questions.
Remember that you are one step closer to adulthood as a student, so you should start to be more responsible. Of course, you will want to have fun with friends and visit new exciting places besides preparing for classes. Try to master the skill of time management gradually so that fun does not interfere with your primary occupation – study. Always find out about all the activities that are held at your university: it is quite possible that you can find new aspirations or continue to develop your talents by, for instance, participating in sports competitions or joining a scientific circle at the university. Thus, you will only expand your social circle and be able to pump your skills and knowledge.
If it happens that something bothers you and you cannot cope with stress due to new information and emotions that have piled on you, know that feeling sad or insecure is quite normal. Instead of pretending that you are doing well, talk openly about your experiences with your parents, university mentors, or psychologists. This way, you can get help at the right time and deal with change without harming your academic performance.
Remember that the discomfort caused by the need for adaptation will soon pay off. You will learn from your fellow students new approaches to learning, work on educational projects both individually and in groups; you will find that you have a lot in common even with people from other parts of the world, and you will have fun spending time together and exploring your new city or country. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful study abroad experience and that you’ll be thrilled with your own choices. Good luck!
