How to Make the Most of a Study Abroad Experience

By Debora Aberastury on September 19, 2017

With ticket in one hand and bag in the other, excitement running through your veins, taking those steps onto the plane … and off you go. Studying abroad can bring about a lot of emotions, daydreams and ideas, but be wary of being overtaken by all of that, including the sights, trips, and people you meet.

Here are some tips on how to make the most of a study abroad experience.

Research, research, research

Far before you leave, start researching everything you possibly can about your study abroad country. I’m not talking about just heading to your local library and picking up a few books, but it can be as simple as logging onto YouTube or Netflix and watching some documentaries.

The more you know about your new second home, the better your experience will be. You will be better versed in the history, the culture, and the overall dynamics of your study abroad country. During your research, you might even start finding places that you want to visit, which leads to my next point …

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Make a study abroad bucket list

No matter what the reasons are behind your study abroad trip, there ARE places that you are surely excited on visiting! Make a list, but be realistic both when it comes to time and money. This list will come in handy on weekends where (*gasp!*) you are completely out of ideas on what to do. Break out the list and start checking off goals.

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Befriend your professors

This may seem a bit pointless, especially if you are just studying abroad for a few months, but trust me — you do want to have these sorts of connections in the future as well as during your study abroad experience. These are the people that know the city well, and they can point you to lectures that might be going on at nearby universities, events, and even just great coffee shops.

If your professors, especially if their classes relate to your major, give you any information about events, lectures, conferences, or fieldtrips you can attend, GO. These are the sorts of things that you can’t do at your home university. So skip that outing with your friends, and always chose educational nights out. You are there to study, and take advantage of these opportunities!

Explore the town

Traditionally, study abroad trips mean going out of the country every weekend, exploring each and every possible country you can, knocking things off your bucket list left and right — but don’t be traditional. Studying abroad is an opportunity to not be a tourist, but a traveler. It’s a chance to live in a new place, rather than just visiting.

Take time and just walk around your city, pop into different stores, eat at different places, eat traditional dishes, and find a new home in a place so far away from your actual home. Become an expert on your new city. The last thing you want to do when you get home is to have to admit that you didn’t spend enough time in your city to know anything about it. Take this chance, and make it count.

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