Make the Most Out of Your Studies Abroad

“Your visa is approved” This would be the best news you would want to hear in your life when all your dream is going to an English-speaking country to study. You will do a lot of preparations to get yourself uprooted from your own country and planted at a new destination. But those preparations alone won’t suffice. You should be aware about a lot of challenges you might face at the new destination. Here are some tips that you need to keep in mind so that you can get maximum benefits out of your study abroad journey.

1.??????What to expect in the first few weeks?

Be ready to face the reality as it is. The dreams and fanciness you had would not be the real scenario out there. Research a little bit about the weather condition of the city you are planning to travel to, so that you can arrange necessary clothing according to the weather. Initially, adapting to the new time zone may be challenging. You may have to speak to your parents or call your bank back in your home town at odd hours. There are time keeping apps that you can use if you want to. It’s always better to reach the country two to three days prior to the start of your orientation so that you can settle down into your accommodation, go for a city walk and then go to the university for your enrollment and orientation.

Its common that you would face homesickness when you move into a completely different environment from your home country. It’s completely normal to feel homesick as long as it does not hamper your experience of studying and living abroad. You can open a bank account with your passport and enrollment confirmation from the university which will help you get funds transferred from your bank back in your hometown.

2.??????Getting adapted to the culture

It’s always good to do a detailed research about the destination you have chosen to be in the next few years of your life. A basic history about the country, their festivals, national events etc. which will help you learn about the culture and values of the country. It’s good if you can arrange your accommodation with a host family which will help you get adapted to the culture fast. You’ll learn even more if you make friends from your host country. You must welcome things as it is, and you will have to put your own world view in your pocket for some time. You can also speak to other international students or to the support staffs at the university if you find it difficult to get adapted to the culture.

3.??????How and where to find part time work

One of the biggest questions you will have as an international student would be this! There are two types of part time jobs you can find.?

??On Campus Jobs

You can find on campus jobs inside your university such as Teaching Assistant, Library Assistants, Lab Assistant, Campus guide and so on. Getting these jobs can sometimes be difficult as most of it requires some related experience or credentials. But if you are good in academics and have good communication skills, you can try the various on campus jobs.

??Off Campus Jobs

Finding an off-campus job can be easy sometimes. The popular jobs available for international students are Baristas, Delivery services, support workers, restaurants, supermarkets, call centers etc. You can find these jobs from the job portals in internet, reaching out to the career support team at university, other senior international students and so on.

?4.??????Managing your finances

Managing finances can be tough for you when you never had to manage finances in your life.

??Start with setting up a local bank account. Many banks offer lowest service charges for students depending on the country you choose to study.

??Budgeting – Budgeting your monthly expenses can help you save. Budget your expenses in such a way that you allocate funds for all your expenses wisely, such as accommodation, transport, food, internet and phone, entertainment etc. At the end of the month, you can check whether you have kept your expenses as per the budget. This way you can analyze where do you need to improve managing the finances.

??Do not be a spendthrift and try to save maximum money as possible as studying abroad is an expensive process. Think twice before you buy things whether it’s necessary.?

??Prepare meals on your own. You can save a lot of money if you can cook your meals rather than eating out and ordering. You can cook large quantity of food at once and store in refrigerator to reheat and use to save time

??Make use of Student Pass/ Student cards/Student ID – Being a student means you can get a lot of discounts from restaurants, movies, transport, grocery stores, local events and so on.

??Manage your Social Activities wisely – Say no to big social gatherings or trips which will exhaust your budget. Do not be ashamed to say no if it will end up in losing a lot of money.

5.??????How and where to Network

Networking is important as it can help you reach the career pathway you always dream of. The best way to start networking will be to join the clubs and university organizations. Many universities organize a lot of events and gatherings for students to network. Make use of all these extra-curricular events to network. Hang out with friends from different nationalities. If you stick on to people from your similar cultural background you will not have much to learn. Take up volunteering opportunities or charity jobs, this way you can contribute to the society and get to meet top professionals from industry. Create a LinkedIn profile and connect with professionals. Having a good LinkedIn profile can help you network and find jobs.

?6.??????Dealing with your Academics

Above all the others, academics should be your top priority. Failing in a subject can cost you a lot of money and time to retake the subject again. Having a good academic score will eventually help you get where you dream of. The academic environment, course structure and pedagogy will be different from what you experienced in your home country. Be open to the changes. Always pay attention to your grades and the other requirements to successfully complete your course. Have a good rapport with the faculties and submit your projects, assignments, thesis etc. on time. Maintain a good attendance and utilize the library for studies. Make use of the time you spend in the university effectively. You have spent a lot on you education so get most out of it. ?Majority of the universities have academic advisors to help you deal with your academics. If you find difficulty in studies, do not hesitate to reach out to them or to your faculties.

Sajna Mofet

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