Never Make These Mistakes as a Study Abroad Student

The advancement of technology and globalization of businesses have led to a situation where employers value the graduates with a strong international exposure and cross-cultural experience. Hence, study abroad programs of the best universities in the world are gaining popularity. The cultural shocks and the lifestyle differences that students face serve to enrich their overseas experiences. Here are some of the mistakes study abroad students make that can easily be avoided:

Not knowing about the host country

Once you get accepted by a foreign university, students should try o gather information about the lifestyle, geography, common etiquettes and behaviour patterns of the people, education system, and cultural differences of their education destination. Knowing the most popular language of the region will help you in having a rich international experience too.

Not being mentally prepared to embrace the change

You must be aware that the foreign land might be very different to your home country. The university regulations, the traffic rules, laws of the government, the agreements with the landlords, and the way you do your assignments and interact with teachers might all be very different. It will be good for you to gather some information about how other students manage their work and lives and use it to your advantage. Many colleges and universities that accept overseas students have International Student help desks that can help you with every aspect of your student life – from helping you with living arrangements to organizing language classes to offering assignment help to the first-timers.

Not making new friends

Many first-timers tend to stick with other students from their home countries. While this may be a good strategy to help you acclimate to the new country initially, if you do not make new friends from other countries, fail to network with people there, and do not immerse in the culture of your study destination – you'll miss out on several valuable experiences that an overseas student is expected to have. Joining a few clubs (such as the sports club or the hobby clubs) of your college and visiting the local hangout points might be a good idea to approach local students and be friends with them. Sharon, a British student in Australia, shared, “The academic writing style I was used to back in my country varies widely from the writing style preferred in the Australian university I am enrolled in. Thankfully, my friend who is a native of Sydney tipped me off about a nice, trustworthy and affordable site that is quite popular with the locals for its online assignment help Australia services. The site helped me manage my first few assignments easily. The experts who worked on my assignments and my Australian friend also helped me to pick up the nuances of the new writing style in the next few months.”

Not making a budget

Cost of living varies widely from country to country - and from city to city. For example, rent, transport and groceries in Australia are a lot more expensive than several major American cities. Without a budget, you might quickly drain your wallet and the resulting financial stress may add to your woes in the foreign land. It would be a good idea to collect some information about how much you'll need to cover your living costs in the country and plan your finances accordingly.

Not travelling enough

When you study abroad, you must make it a point to explore your destination country (and the most popular sites around it) well. Popular tourist destinations in the countries grouped below can easily be covered in a single day:

• Austria, Germany, and Slovakia;
• Spain, Portugal, and Morocco;
• Estonia and Finland;
• USA and Canada;
• Australia, Bali, and New Zealand;
• France, Italy, and Switzerland; and
• Sweden and Denmark.

Take out time to visit the best-known destinations around the city and the region where you live during weekends or mid-semester breaks. If the coursework seems too much, seek an occasional online assignment help to write that ‘A+ grade’ essay but do make it a point to enjoy your time abroad.

Overpacking (or underpacking) the luggage

First, start with getting all your important documents in order. Your passport, visa, university confirmation, travel insurance papers, a diary with addresses and phone numbers of your friends and family members, and medical prescriptions are some of the documents you must pack very safely. Make copies of these documents and keep them in a separate packet - and leave one copy of each with your trusted friend or relative. To be on the safe side, make soft copies of these documents and email them to yourself. Learn about the weather and climatic conditions of the place and only pack things you'll immediately require when you land in your host country. You can buy the rest when you reach there. Here’s a nice checklist for luggage study abroad students may want to pack. It is not only expensive to take too much luggage on international flights; big bags also make you a target for thieves and thugs in the new country. Is there something else study abroad students need to keep in mind? Do share your suggestions with us in the Comments section below.