Taking the risk of living in an unfamiliar environment miles away from home while pursuing your education sure is a wonderful and exciting milestone in your life.
However, challenges may be faced and college life can become extra stressful when these are handled incorrectly. Hence, international students should overcome these by applying the right solutions to these problems.
Listed below are common stressors that could be faced by an international student while study abroad along with the right way to get through them.
Homesickness
Arriving in a country after a tiring flight will certainly bring you jetlag. This will soon follow the feeling of homesickness. Feeling homesick is natural for every first-time student and newcomer. This is due to a brand new lifestyle that is far from home, making you miss your family and friends more.
Ways to overcome this include keeping yourself busy, keeping in touch with people from home (but not too much), exploring new surroundings, and focusing on why you started.
To feel homesick is not a weakness. If you feel as such, just remember that you are not the only one.
Culture Shock
Adjusting to life in a foreign land is not an easy thing to do. It can be challenging for some, and this brings culture shock to them. Do not worry because just like homesickness, the feeling of culture shock is also normal.
To cope with this, you must keep in mind that adjusting takes time. Also, try to focus on your goals, take some time off, and get to know the culture.
Once able to adjust to the new life you are living, that’s when you will appreciate the fun of studying in a foreign country.
Language Barrier
If your host country speaks the same language that you do, you’re lucky. But students who do not speak the native language of the country he’s living in might experience some problem. Language barrier poses a struggle in communication and a hard time socializing with the locals, even when simply asking for help in navigation.
But this difference in language should not be a hindrance to pursue your dreams. You can learn the language through taking language classes, then maximize your learnings through speaking with the locals. This way, you can immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle without any hassle.
High Expectations
Normally, students around the world feel the same pressure and expectations for their studies. They feel like they should do well to make their parents proud. For international students, it is the same, but at a much higher level. Expectations for them are higher than usual as parents invest a large amount of money to support them.
However, thinking of this will not help. To set an unrealistic expectation on oneself is not good and will probably worsen your situation. It can lead to severe stress, then it may be harder to cope with as time went by.
So, instead of setting a high standard and forcing yourself to do more than what your potential allows you to, try to accept and understand yourself more. Ponder on what truly matters. Focus on your goal at a healthy pace. These will help you achieve educational milestones with a sound mindset.
Coping up to these stressors will never be easy. Remember that things take time. After all, getting through these solely depends on yourself, on how you handle things positively.
To get more tips on how to live abroad as an international student, make sure to follow MSM Unify and read more of our articles.
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