Going abroad is a common conversation topic among Bucknell juniors, especially with the spring program’s acceptance emails coming out this week! Everyone is getting excited, but how do you make sure you will have the best time possible while abroad? Here are some tips to help you make sure your abroad experience will be the best it can be!
- Ask around.
Chances are, an upperclassman at Bucknell has already done a semester abroad in your prospective city—ask them for advice. The most important thing is to ask where they lived. If your program provides options, you want to make sure that your housing is the best possible choice for you—don’t go in blindly! It could be a game changer on how you look at the whole experience. Next, ask what their favorite trip was. It is very likely that they have been on amazing vacations that make everyone jealous by looking at their pictures on Facebook—well, next semester those pictures could have you in them! Ask where their favorite place to eat was, and what the bars with the cheapest drinks were. You’ll be completely ready and the person who all your new abroad friends look to for answers if you know all these details!
- Make a bucket list.
Not for your whole life, but for your time abroad. What are all the things you want to get accomplished before you leave your foreign city of dreams? Write them down! If they are on paper, you are way more likely to get them done. Also, there is no better feeling than crossing something off of your bucket list!
- Pack smartly.Research the country you’re going to and figure out what they don’t sell. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find certain things while abroad. For example, before I left to study in Australia, I was told to bring loads of deodorant because they only sell the spray kind down under. I am so thankful for that advice as all of my friends have to spray on their deodorant and I still have plenty of American deodorant left.
- Get involved!
Being abroad is about finding yourself while surrounded with all different types of people. Be proactive in getting involved on your foreign campus, you will meet tons of cool people from all over the world!
- Keep in touch.
As amazing as your time abroad will be, you wont want to miss out on EVERYTHING that is going on at home! Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with friends from home—start a message thread with your closest friends before you leave. Figure out what the best times to Skype with people from home are and let your friends and family know these times before you leave! Also, Skype lets you make phone calls, surprise your closest friends with a call from Skype right to their cell phone—its free and will be a great surprise for your friend! Make a blog and write about all of your experiences abroad; so not only can your friends and family follow your adventures while overseas, but also when you get home you will have your whole time documented. You’ll remember this forever!