When Skidmore students talk about studying abroad, we tend to highlight the really incredible, fun aspects of the experience – travelling, seeing the world, making new friends, learning a new language – and, for some reason, we tend to skip over the not so great parts. Maybe that’s because we see the experience overall with rose colored glasses once we’re back in snowy Saratoga and missing the warmth of the south of France, or maybe it’s because the good parts of studying abroad genuinely do outweigh the bad.
Whatever the reasoning, the hard parts about studying abroad, like being homesick, having trouble making friends, feeling isolated, out of place, and confused, are still important to discuss. Leaving them out of the discussion entirely can isolate those who do feel homesick and are questioning their decision to go abroad, making them feel even worse about their doubts.
Being abroad is hard – especially if you decide not to go on a Skidmore program and are faced with a situation akin to starting college all over again in a completely different country. When you’re having a hard time, the most important thing you can do is be kind to yourself: understand yourself, help yourself, and take care of yourself before anyone else.
I’ve only been abroad for a month so far, but I’ve had a fairly tumultuous time in Scotland. Although I haven’t had the best time of my life yet, I have definitely learned a lot about myself, and how to take care of myself. And this new knowledge is helping. So, here are my top 5 tips for making yourself feel your best while abroad, especially if you’re feeling a little bit lost.
1. Watch Your Favorite American Shows
Netflix has genuinely been one of the most helpful things for me while I’ve been abroad. Luckily, UK Netflix is really similar to US Netflix (although it is lacking Friends, which has been a serous disappointment) but that isn’t the case in every country. If you can’t get your hands on Netflix in your host country, try a VPN, which will allow you to access American websites from anywhere in the world. Sometimes you just really need to get in bed and have a Pretty Little Liars marathon. And that’s okay, even if you are in Barcelona.
2. Eat Well
I know this is really worn out advice, but that’s because it’s so true. For my first few weeks in the UK I could barley manage to cook myself anything, and so I ate a lot of Oreos and bread. That is not good for you. And it makes you feel even worse. Make an outing out of going to the grocery store and spend an afternoon looking into healthy food blogs. They’re fun, inspiring, and you’ll feel so much better about yourself almost immediately. If you’re staying with a host family and don’t cook for yourself, then ask your host parent if you can go food shopping with them. It’ll be a fun way to learn more about living in your host country, and they might let you pick something out special too.
3. Pamper Yourself
I strongly believe in treating yourself, no matter what the situation. You don’t need to dish out for a spa day (but by all means go for that if you want to!) but it will definitely feel great to spend a day taking care of yourself in your room. Use a Sunday – take a shower, use a facemask, paint your nails, eat an entire carton of ice cream. Indulge in anything. One day isn’t going to kill you – if anything, it’ll make you feel loved. Also, call home. Talk to your siblings or your parents or your dog or your best friend who stayed on campus. It might make you cry a little, but it’ll be a nice reminder that they still exist and still love you and, more likely than not, are constantly thinking about you.
4. Divide Your Time
One of the things that freaked me out most when I first got abroad was thinking about how I would be here until May. Thinking January to May with nothing in between is absolutely terrifying, and made studying abroad feel more like a weird never ending vortex than an awesome opportunity. What really helped me with this was printing out a calendar (you can find really cute and cheap printables online!) and blocking my time off – I used brightly colored highlighters and pens to show my breaks, due dates, travel plans, family visits, and more. The space between January and May looks much less white now, which makes everything feel much more manageable. Plus, it’s a tangible reminder that, sooner or later, I am going to go home.
5. Don’t Compare Yourself to Anyone Else
This is the hardest but also the most important piece of advice I can give, and I’m still working on it myself. It’s really hard to go onto Facebook and Instagram and see everyone else looking like they’re having the times of their lives abroad, or back at Skidmore, when you’re struggling to even get to class. It often makes me feel like I’m wasting my opportunity, which makes me anxious and upset – and, obviously, being anxious and upset won’t lead to me having a good time. It’s so important to remember that everybody deals with things differently, and that nobody documents everything on Facebook. If you have to, delete the Facebook app off your phone for now (I plan to), or don’t go out of your way to check it. Just focus on you. Do your best and try not to think about what anyone else is doing. It’s hard, but it will feel a hundred times better in the long run. Social media is fake, anyway. No one has that much fun.