Once At Your Destination

Part 8 of 9.

Welcome to Part 8 of our 9-part series on what to consider before studying abroad.

This time we cover...

Once At Your Destination Study hard, keep up with your workload, do what it takes to get the best results you can.

With that understood, you’re in a new country so experience it. New Friends. If you have strong interests, join a relevant club or group. This is a great way to meet others with interests you share. There may also be a club for other students from your country. These clubs offer an instant group of people you are likely to have much in common with. But do make an effort at extending new friendships beyond your fellow citizens. Travel. Get to know the town or city where you’re studying.

And travel further afield. If you’re in the UK, the rest of Europe is in easy reach. If you’re in North America, there are lots of places to go. Make the most of the time you have in the wider region beyond where the university is located. Study. Take advantage of opportunities to do more than your studies. But make sure studying remains your priority. Do as well as you can – it can make a difference to your future prospects. Homesickness. You might get homesick; you might not.

It’s easy to affordably keep in touch with friends and family back home with so many free, online options. Some people find it helpful to maintain frequent contact; others prefer less frequent contact. It depends on you. The only advice I would offer is if you do get seriously homesick, try to find an effective way to cope that means you avoid returning home before your term or semester is up. If you find it extremely difficult to be away, or you feel the university you’ve chosen is a poor fit for you, do your best to complete the current term and get the best grades you can so you at least get the course credits. If you do decide to leave sooner than expected, figure out if it’s because studying abroad isn’t for you or if the problem was the university.

And if it was the university, make sure your next choice is the right one. Be clear on what about the university made you want to leave and let that inform your next choice. If you want to study abroad and think you’ve got the grades and financial means, contact one of ProEd’s experienced counsellors to find out how they can help make the process quicker and easier.

ProEd is a premier advisory service helping international students find their best fit college/university abroad.

Check our Contact Us page to find out how to get in touch.