Imagine picking up tomorrow and moving to a city halfway across the world where you know no one. The thought of starting over, meeting new friends, and falling in love with new favorite places can sound refreshing and exciting to some but absolutely frightening to others. When I was in college, I took this leap of faith and studied abroad for 6 months. This easily became one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I would recommend study abroad to anyone who has the resources to do so because it gives you a chance to explore the world, immerse yourself in a culture that is different from your own, learn independence, and make lifelong friends in the process.

In the beginning of my study abroad experience, I spent a lot of time video chatting with my family and friends back home. I constantly did this to remain in a state of comfort but soon realized that this was very limiting. I didn’t come abroad to what I did at home. Therefore, I had to change my ways and put myself out there more in order to live my best life while studying abroad. I hope these tips will help you to do the same. 

1.  Choose Walking over Public Transportation

Exercise is good for the mind, body and soul. When I studied abroad, I walked as much as I could which not only saved me money but also helped me find some of my favorite restaurants, shops, cafés, etc. If a place is walking distance and you have the time, I recommend taking a break from public transportation because you never know what you’ll discover on the way. 

2. Find People Who Have Who Have Similar Interests as You

I personally love going to concerts, seeing art, traveling to new places, and trying different foods. Therefore, it was important for me to find people who enjoyed doing the same. Fortunately, I was living in a student housing complex with fellow study abroad students from around the world which made it easy to meet people. While living abroad, don’t be afraid to talk to new people even if it’s just to make that one go-to friend that can explore with you.

3. Travel More

When you are studying abroad, it is the ideal time to travel to as many destinations as you can. I was able to travel to Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Venice all while studying abroad. I found that travel through Europe is very affordable especially with the various transportation options. There are cheap flights, trains, and even buses. Be sure to take full advantage of these options.

4. Explore the Dating Culture

This is a great way to meet new people and a potentially fun way to immerse yourself in the new culture. I have numerous friends who have met their significant others abroad and are now married and living abroad with them years later.

5. Make Friends Who Live Abroad

Some of my good friends live in France, Switzerland, London, and Amsterdam. It is great having friends abroad because when you visit these places your friends can show you their favorite places and share their way of life with you which will likely differ from the typical tourist experience. 

6. Make Sure You Do Something New Every Day

It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine especially when working or going to school. If you hold yourself accountable for doing something new everyday, I guarantee you that your abroad experience will be so much better. My study abroad friends and I used to get really creative with our daily activities. We went to a human tattoo gallery, saw off-Broadway plays, went on graffiti bike tours, etc. Overall, trying new things is essential in order to have a once in a lifetime experience while living abroad. 

I hope these tips have inspired you to give studying or living abroad a try. As one of my favorite quotes says “Travel. As much as you can. As far as you can. As long as you can. Life’s not meant to be lived in one place.”