Three Things Nobody Tells You about Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is an amazing thing to do and really opens your eyes to a new culture in a way that going somewhere on holiday will never do.

It’s both a terrifying and exciting time as you leave your home to set up a life in a different country. However, you’re in good company as thousands of students flock to the UK every year in order to go to college or university.

You’ll find plenty of guides for international students on everything from choosing your university to which city is best when you’re coming to study from abroad.

Here are three things that those guides won’t tell you:

You’ll realise who your friends really are…at home

We doubt you’ll have problems making friends at university, both with other international students and UK students, but you might find it harder to keep up friendships with those back home.

With certain friends you might be surprised to find how little either of you are bothered about keeping in touch once you’re not seeing each other regularly. With other friends you’ll simply take your lives in different directions and won’t have much in common anymore.

But university, and life as a whole, is a journey and that means you’ll gain and lose friendships throughout your life. Embrace the ones that prove to be true friends.

Everything will be totally different to your home country

Even if you’ve chosen to come to the UK based on the fact that it has many similarities to your home country, once you get here you’ll find everything totally different.

That’s nothing to worry about though. After all, you chose to study abroad to explore a new culture so get out there any enjoy the differences.

You might find that you love a good cup of tea and that the rain really isn’t so bad!

You’ll be desperate to go home, but then desperate to go back

For the first few weeks at university you’ll probably spend at least a few moments of every day wishing you could just go home. That’s completely normal and almost everyone on campus will be homesick, even if they haven’t come as far as you.

But believe us when we say it’s worth sticking it out and really getting into the swing of university life.

Although you’ll be pleased to see your friends and family back home during the holidays, you’ll probably find yourself desperate to get back on campus within a few days.