Five Things I Have Learned So Far From Prepping for Study Abroad

Deciding to study abroad is one of the most exciting decisions you can make, but it can also be extremely overwhelming. There is so much being thrown at you at once and, believe it or not, there isn’t much guidance along the way. The entire process is long and difficult, and it is mainly independent. However, the outcome will be worth it.

Here are some of the things I have learned along the way. 

1. It’s Okay to reach out for help.

This one is probably one of the most important things I have learned from this process. I love being independent and I don’t want to have to rely on anybody else to help me. However, in this process, you can’t do it alone. Especially if you are the first in your family to study abroad, no one knows what to expect. It is all extremely overwhelming and new for everyone. Take a deep breath and know that it will all be okay. Even though you aren’t given much guidance in the process, it is more than okay to reach out to someone and ask for help. They are there to help you, whether they inform you of that or not.

2. Getting a visa is not an easy process.

Getting a visa was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. It is so overwhelming and you need so many documents. Keep in mind, you are on your own in college while doing this. And, if you are like me, you will probably wait until the last minute to do everything. You have to get a variety of documents completed and they are not easy. The best advice I can give you is to take a deep breath and get it in early so if you mess it up they can tell you to fix it before it’s too late. 

3. even if you think you can procrastinate effectively, don’t.

This is the one thing I absolutely wish I knew. I ended up staying up so late one night trying to complete all of the forms that I needed to complete, it was the most stressful night I’ve experienced. If I could do it all over again, I would have sat down and got them out of the way before I did anything else. They are way more time-consuming than you think, trust me. Never wait until the last minute.

4. the forms are never-ending.

This one hits different. I always got so excited finishing my assignments, but then a few days later more of them came into my inbox. The forms truly are never-ending. When you think you can finally catch a break with all of the forms, more of them come. Be sure to stay on top of these because they can pile up fast! 

5. talk to your advisor.

This one is probably one of the most important tips on this list. Talking to not only my education abroad advisor but my academic advisor at Penn State helped me so much through this process. Even though he wasn’t my education abroad advisor, he helped me with the whole process. In addition, I emailed my abroad advisor multiple times with questions and always received fast responses. I was terrified to reach out but I am so happy that I did. While this process is mainly independent, your advisors are always there for you and want to help you in every way they can before you embark on this amazing journey. 

Studying abroad is one of the best experiences you could have in your college years so definitely take advantage of it. Even though there is never-ending prep before you go, it will all be worth it once you are finally there living your best life!