3 things I wish I knew before studying abroad

This is for anyone who is planning to study abroad, I recently went through the process myself and i learned a lot, many of which were not mentioned in any guide or handbook, so naturally, I wanted to pass on some of my wisdom for anyone looking forward to their next journey in life, and those who already embarked in their quest for education.

1. Don’t count on anyone but yourself

If we’re going to get real with this and start talking from an experience point of you, from the moment you land in your new country or city, the first thing you’ll naturally start to do is count on other people, to a point where you'll start to make them feel responsible for you because you're the new guy. You will count on your teachers to help you just because you’re not native, and on your friends to show you everything from studying to getting your groceries. And it’s not a bad thing to surround yourself with friends (if you’re lucky enough to get any), so your first milestone would be realizing that everyone around cares about themselves only, soon enough the people around you will show their true colors the moment you will need them.

So be yourself, do the things your way even if they’re wrong until you get it right.

2. Loneliness is real

There’s no doubt that you will sometimes feel alone, and helpless to a point where it really hurts to breathe and you will want to give up more times than you admit to. Loneliness is a part of this journey and it’s okay to feel homesick. Most of the foreign students around you will pretend to be happy and that could alienate you a bit, but in reality, they are all a little broken inside, especially the ones who are in the same situation as you, away from home.

Embrace those feelings and take care of your mental health by speaking up about it to your friends and family. 

3. You will make mistakes

The last thing I need everybody to know is that no matter how far ahead you plan everything out, almost 80% of the time things will go wrong, and that's not an excuse to give up, but sometimes, just sometimes, it can be. Not to be a total buzzkill but if you want to give up and if you feel as if this is no longer what you wanted, it is okay to let it go and start over. 

Many students make that mistake and fight through to finish school even if they are completely unhappy and depressed. Just because you worked hard to get to where you are now, does not mean you should sacrifice your mental health and happiness. Again it’s OKAY to give up, as a person who’s been there I can tell you that I spent more time regretting holding on to my college degree for so many years than I did regretting walking away. That power move itself can give you so much freedom and creativity to pursue what you’re truly passionate about.

So if you ever feel trapped and unhappy in any situation, know that it okay to walk away even if it's painful to do.