All that glisters is not gold; we’re all familiar with this saying. Similarly, studying abroad sounds so appealing when all you can do is think about it, but you face harsh realities in life when you’re actually there. It goes the same for a lot of other things as well other than just for studying abroad or visiting a foreign country.
Many students face depression and become homesick. They lose all interest because they begin to understand the value of the company around them which they left behind. But if things don’t come up to your expectations, don’t be disheartened and quit just because you happen to have lost interest. You worked hard to get where you are, didn’t you?
To avoid any such mishaps, it’s better to evaluate and judge for yourself if you’re really ready to go study abroad. Will you be able to cope and manage all the unfamiliar situations you encounter? The cultural difference alone can on its own squish you. Other than that you have to face religious, political and other such circumstances which dictate your way of living.
If you think you have what it takes to adapt to all these things, then read on and consider the following points so that you can avoid any major inconveniences.
Decide on these before you travel abroad
1. Gain Adequate Knowledge
It goes without saying that you should have appropriate background knowledge about the environment and other such basic knowledge about the places you’re applying to. The weather, the food, the culture, and the mood of the people all seem like such trivial things when your main focus is on your education and getting into your first choice college, but trust me, these things matter a lot.Other than that, keep in mind that you have to fend for yourself and that the native food of your home country won’t be available to you where you’re going. If you’re used to a lot of spices, the place you might be going towards probably harbors the majority of the people who have a sweet tooth. So if you are a particularly choosy person, you need to consider all these things ahead of time because then you’d be facing a lot of difficulties if it all comes on to you as a big surprise.
2. Learn Basic Skills
Basic skills like cooking always come in handy. As mentioned before, if you’re a big critic when it comes to food, then you’ll probably crave a native dish every once in a while. If not, some places just can’t quite catch the flavor of your home country.For Muslims, this is a very handy skill because they have the problem of sifting through halal and haram foods in a foreign country based on how the animal is slaughtered and the ingredients used in a dish or a recipe. For Hindus, many of whom are vegans, they can cook up their delicacies without having to worry about the places which serve tofu and the constant worry of animal fat mixed in flavoring and food color.
Aside from saving money, there are literally thousands of recipes available all over the internet for you to recreate your favorite dishes from.
3. Be More Responsible
If you’re moving out, you’ll be living alone and probably with roommates. Your parents are not going to be there to constantly nag you all the time to clean up after yourselves and no stranger will tolerate your sloppy habits if they’re staying with you.To avoid such conflicts and also to become a better person, you must become more responsible and learn to look after things for yourself. It’s like this; you’re not going to be finding a fresh and hot meal ready and prepared for you after your day ends, nor will your expenses be taking care of themselves. Your clothes aren’t going to be spread out ready for you nor will they be washed and ironed on their own.
Regarding academics, you’re responsible for your own fate. Teachers are not going to constantly nag you to come to class on time or submit your assignments before the due date. No teacher will particularly stress you to do well in your exams because it’s your own career you’re either messing up or building.
4. Adjust your Attitude
If you hope to get along with people from all over the world with different cultures and backgrounds, you need to be resilient in your responsibilities and have an easy-going personality. If you keep on criticizing other people all the time, no one is going to like you or want to sit with you. Don’t poke your nose where it doesn’t belong because no one likes someone who tries to become over-involved in someone else’s personal matters. To help yourself adjust, devise strategies and control your impulses or come up with things to keep your mind busy in your free time other than indulging in meaningless gossip.5. Extra Earnings and Savings
Tuition fees are expensive, especially for foreign students, but that’s not the only thing they have to worry about. They have to look at the boarding, the food expenses, clothing, and other such basic necessities which can come to cost a lot.Your parents’ entire money and yours only basically cover up your living expenses, so there is no room left for luxury or even to cover up some of your assignments, for which a part-time job is necessary. You can even pick up freelancing as it’s the easiest form of earning some extra money if you have spare time and necessary costs to be covered. You obviously need to cut down on a lot of your luxuries like partying and hanging out all the time which are a drain on your wallet.
Save for the upcoming semesters by cutting down on a lot of your expenses. Forget about your parents’ credit card and don’t count on it to pay all your bills. Remember, as discussed before, you need to learn to be a responsible adult and also learn to properly manage your finances because ultimately it’s affecting your future. With this, you don’t have to worry all the time about your expenses and can focus better on your studies.
6. Be Absolutely Fair
Cheating won’t get you anywhere in the future. You’ll never be reliant on your own skills and thus continue to be fraudulent in your entire career span. That is not to mention that you’ll not be gaining any such knowledge whatsoever and can face serious consequences. Other than that, it’s also immoral and unethical. Paying someone to do your dissertation is wrong because not only are you cheating the university and the teacher, but you’re cheating yourself as well.Other than that, be absolutely fair in your writing. Do your own work so that you can learn something in the process as well. Think about it; why are your parents spending so much on you and the teachers investing so much of their time on you as well?
7. Overcoming Sudden Changes in Policies
The entire world was shaken by the issue of Brexit. It’s a political decision surely to affect the operation of the country in itself, and it has also raised a serious issue of racism. Every single activity, including students coming in from abroad, now face such issues and even non-native citizens who have lived abroad for generations felt the waves and no longer have a sense of belonging in a land they built their lives upon.The understudies, either from EU or the different nations of the world, examining in the UK are living in a bit of disarray and strain. The ebb and flow of the political condition has thrown up a plot which seems to anticipate that for students studying abroad, the circumstances are going to take a U-turn which can't be supportive of them.
The visa strategy is going to be modified. Alongside visa arrangements in regards to grant, student credits, financed programs (particularly which were supported by EU) all will have to face significant changes. Experts also agree that an expansion in educational cost expenses, boarding charges, and study material is normal and a reduction in stipend, university`s yearly pay, college programs, professional projects and things like these are also an impending issue.
You should keep in mind that each of these matters issue an inquiry about what students ought to do when it comes to matters of adaptation and adjustments. An extremely basic answer is that the first and foremost concern should be to well-arrange their financial issues so that they won’t be faced with unpleasant surprises should, God forbid, something unplanned but terrible happens.
Other than that, you’re the best judge to decide if you’re ready to break through the cultural barriers and allow political, sociological, and religious issues slide by and not affect your performances or behavior. If you feel like you’re now ready to travel abroad for studies in unknown situations with a blank space and question mark ahead of you, then what’re you waiting for? Go ahead and apply straight-away!
Author
Rayanne Dany is a blogger & currently working as a senior writer in one of the leading consultancy company providing assignment writing services UK. She also is perusing her MPhil degree from a well-known university of London. Rayanne has command over providing valuable tips to the students in her blogs.
Related: Essential Information for Students Planning to Study Abroad
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