For those who have had the opportunity to study abroad during your time in college, I think it’s safe to say that the “post- study abroad blues” are real. Whether you studied abroad for one quarter, one semester, or one year, it’s normal to experience a bit of a reverse culture shock. You have experienced a change of pace, environment, culture, and overall lifestyle all within the span of a few months or a year, and that can be a lot of change at once. I spent the Fall semester of my 4th year abroad doing an immersion program at the University of Bologna in Italy. I can honestly say that that was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made, but the transition has been quite challenging to say the least for several reasons.
This question of “now what?” may arise because you have concluded an adventure of a lifetime during your time abroad. You may have experienced a whirlwind of events, emotions, and opportunities to meet people from different parts of the world. Now, re-adjusting back to a somewhat foreign yet familiar reality is the start of a new journey.
Here are some of tips I have gathered to hopefully help you ease back into life after studying abroad:
Share your experience
After studying abroad in another country, you are filled with so many stories and experiences. These stories may be funny, exciting, embarrassing, or maybe even a little awkward. Telling a family, friend or a loved one about your experiences not only take us back in time, but can also help keep those moments alive.
Stay in contact with the ties you have made
You probably have made some new international friends during your time abroad so staying in contact with them is definitely a great way to keep a piece of your experience with you. Those connections may be a great reason for you to come back to that country or maybe an opportunity for them to possibly visit you at your own home country. An expanded international network is never a bad idea for professional and personal purposes.
Also, on a more local basis, the friends you have made from your program can reminisce with you and may be the best people who can understand you as you may be re-adjusting to life abroad.
Create a blog/video/photobook
If you are the artistic type, making a blog, a photobook, a compilation video, or even decorating your room with the souvenirs you collected is a creative way to keep those memories alive.
Apply the life lessons
Studying abroad may have expanded your mind in ways that it never have before.The exposure to various types of people, opportunities, and experiences may have led you to learn a lot about others and even yourself. Those life lessons make for not just a good story, but something to learn from and to apply to life.
Make new adventures
With this renewed surge of wonder, you realize that there is a world out there that is much larger than your own. Personally, my abroad experience has taught me to not sweat about the small, minute setbacks there are in life, and to try make my own adventure out of situations. Whether it is a trip with your friends or a journey to personal growth, new adventures are exciting and give you something to look forward to. New adventures serve as a reminder that the best is yet to come.
All images via pexels.com