5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Studying Abroad

Tips before you leave the country!

Congrats, you want to study abroad!! I remember studying abroad in my junior year of college. I was lucky enough to spend the entire year traveling! It was such a fun and exciting time, and I miss it dearly.

Before you dream of leaving the country, exploring new cities, making new friends, and maybe even having a fling (or two), here are five tips I wish I had known before I went on my study abroad.

It’s such a great time, but like anything, there are always challenges. This is not to persuade you not to go abroad, but to give you a more realistic idea of what life abroad will be like!

Choosing the Right Program For Studying Abroad

This is crucial!! In my first year, I went to Aix-En-Provence, France. In my second year, I was in Sydney, Australia. Both times were great, but looking back I definitely preferred Aix-En-Provence, France. It was a smaller program where everyone else was also students from the USA. We all came from college in the USA and wanted to explore France.

While my program in Sydney was fun, I went to a school of over 50,000 people and felt like a number more than a student. In France, there was more support and much smaller classes. While in Sydney, I felt very alone in my program. I made friends and had fun, but I did have more independence.

When you’re looking for the right study abroad program think of the following questions:

How big do I want my classes?
Do I want independence or more of a hands-on program?
Do I speak the language?
What culture do I want to experience?
Do I want a party school or a serious one?
What type of location do I want to live in?

Try to find other people who have been in the program and ask them their thoughts!

Save Before! It will help make the experience better

Before going abroad for a year, I was working constantly! My parents were supportive of me going abroad, but I knew I wasn’t going to get their monetary support. I worked throughout college, winter break, and summer break to save up for my travel.

If you’re lucky to have parents support you financially then you don’t need to worry. If you’re not, I highly recommend saving money beforehand. I knew I wanted to travel a lot and not have to worry about expenses, and if that’s you, then I recommend saving around $5,000 for each semester. On the bright side, it is much cheaper to travel once you are abroad!

You Probably Won’t Be Fluent (But You Will Get Better!)

Going to write this again: You’re probably not going to be fluent! And that’s okay! My French was never that great to begin with, but I got better at understanding the French language and reading and writing. My other friends were much better at it than me and were able to get better at speaking French.

My best advice is: it’s better to try than not try at all! I worried way too much about my accent and not being good enough, that eventually I stopped trying. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

As long as you keep practicing, you will get better!

Explore your city! Don’t travel to other countries every weekend

You’re there to embrace new customs, foods, people, and traditions! Don’t spend all your time there trying to leave for new cities. I suggest you spend at least 60% of your time in the place you chose to study abroad.

In France, I knew it was important for me to travel to different countries, but I also made sure to spend weekends exploring Aix-en-Provence. If you plan to study abroad somewhere, you should immerse yourself in the city or town.

Always Be Aware of Your Surroundings!

As a native New Yorker, I know how important it is to be aware of your surroundings. Even with this, I know so many people who had their phones and wallets stolen when traveling abroad. Never show your phone, passport, electronics, or anything else valuable when traveling.

I recommend buying a fanny pack and making copies of any important information you need just in case! As long as you’re being smart, you should be okay. But, if something does happen, don’t feel bad! You’re not the first and you won’t be the last.

Final Thoughts

Studying abroad was my favorite experience ever. It fueled me to want to travel more! I believe everyone who wants to should get to experience this because it really helps you grow as a person.

Let me know in the comments – where are you studying abroad?

If you liked this blog, I’ll be sure to make a part two!

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