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The 5 Stages of Coming Home from your Study Abroad

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

Being at home from your year abroad for Christmas is great! But the stages of being at home aren’t always good…

1. “I’m so excited to go home!”Despite all the fun you’re having on your time abroad, there’s no place like home. You start packing and start listing all the things you’re going to do at home, or more specifically, all the food you’re going to ask your mum to cook! The excitement is just too much!

2. “Jet lag why?!”You arrive home and then it sets in. The dreaded jet lag. You try your hardest to adjust back to your home time zone but you just can’t get yourself to sleep! Don’t worry, this usually lasts several days and then you’ll be as good as new.

3. “I’m so broke”You want to go out and see all your friends until you realise that you’ve spent so much money on your year abroad that going out with your last £20 seems impossible. Again, do not fret! There are plenty of ways to reconnect with your family and friends without making a bigger hole in your pocket! For example, a good ole movie night at your house with some drinks is the best way to go about it.

4. “I miss everyone! FaceTime session?”After all the catch-ups, a part of you starts to miss all the new friendships and relationships you’ve made whilst you’ve been abroad. You start to wonder what everyone else is doing and you start wishing for it to be time for you to go back abroad (if you’re one of the lucky ones who actually spend a year abroad rather than just a semester!). It doesn’t help when your home friends start heading back to uni and get their revision on whilst you sit at home, binge-watching you’re the 3rd season of The Good Wife. However, technology today has made life so much easier for us. FaceTime, Skype, Whatsapp – there are so many ways for you to communicate with your friends abroad! But don’t forget that annoying time difference…

5. “The break is over already?”Time flew by and the time has come for you to return abroad. Despite all the wishes for break to be over, you can’t help but feel a little sad to be going back abroad and being away from home again. But remember, there are so many more adventures for you to go on so get excited again! You’ll have to go through all of these again in the summer!

 

Edited by Naomi Upton

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Jenine Tudtud

Nottingham '17

Jenine is a fourth year American and Canadian Studies student at the University of Nottingham and is hoping to get a career in journalism or publishing. She is currently one of the Campus Correspondents for Her Campus Nottingham! She has just returned from The College of New Jersey after spending the past year studying abroad. 
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Naomi Upton

Nottingham

Naomi is a third year English student at Nottingham University and Co-Editor in Chief of HC Nottingham. Naomi would love a career in journalism or marketing but for now she spends her time beauty blogging, attempting to master the delicate art of Pinterest, being an all-black-outfit aficionado, wasting time on Buzzfeed, going places, taking pictures and staying groovy.