I’m in Ireland for one short month on a Dialogue of Civilizations program, and to make the most of that month, we’re using just about every ounce of time to learn, explore, and create. We’ve been all over the Burren to see ancient artifacts, forts, and castles; we’ve ferried across the ocean to hike across the Aran Islands; and we’ve spent hours in the studio working on our personal projects. As much as I love everything I’ve been able to do and learn so far, it can also be completely overwhelming, especially for someone like me who had barely left her house since the pandemic started.
It’s important to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being while abroad, in order to enjoy your time to the full extent. Pushing yourself too hard could result in being exhausted and irritable during moments you should be able to enjoy. Here are some tips for remembering to take care of yourself abroad.
1. Take the time to recharge.
This one should seem obvious, but often it is easy to neglect. It’s important to know your own limits and boundaries, to listen to your body and mind when they need rest. Taking some time to yourself to relax can feel like a waste of time when you’re in a foreign country with limited time to see everything, but it is essential to being able to enjoy your time there! If your body is telling you it needs a nap, if your social battery is running low, or if you’re overwhelmed by culture shock, you are not just allowed but encouraged to listen to those instincts.
On a Dialogue of Civilizations to Tokyo in Summer 2018 after my freshman year, I was so focused on seeing every one of Tokyo’s distinctive neighborhoods, that I ended up crashing hard after the first week. I had exhausted myself and ended up overstimulated, lacking sleep, and miserable. I had to take a decent break for some introvert time before I was up to exploring again, and I ended up wasting more time than if I had taken it slowly to begin with.
Luckily, in the Irish countryside, there isn’t as much to be overwhelmed by. I can unwind by watching the sun set over the Burren from our house’s patio, which allows me to be alone to recharge, while also absorbing all of the beauty of the new place I’m in.
2. Incorporate old routines into your new ones.
Being abroad can turn your life upside down in all the best ways, but the lack of normalcy can shake some people. My past week has been so busy that I haven’t had a lot of time to do the things I normally do, and my home routine of sleeping in and staying at home and working most days just isn’t viable. Instead, I’ve been adopting new routines–waking up earlier to eat breakfast before embarking on our daily adventure, going outside on long hikes and absorbing all sorts of information, then returning home to relax.
But you can also bring the things you normally do into your daily life: for me, I play my ukulele daily, in the morning or at the end of the days’ work, and that’s a habit that slotted into place with my new schedule. After a long day of field-tripping into the Burren, I get to come back and strum and sing to unwind.
If you work out in the mornings or evenings at home, that’s an easy thing to integrate into your routine. Playing instruments, working out, or even scrolling social media at your usual intervals can make a new and different life feel more familiar and safe. And of course, the most important routine: regularly taking any medications, which can be difficult to remember when a routine is shaken up!
Bringing small bits of familiarity into your day is a great way to feel more at peace in your otherwise unfamiliar new lifestyle.
3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people.
Not everyone’s an introvert like me, and even those that are will need someone to talk to; not just about the trip or the overwhelming information and stimuli of the days, but also about the very real stresses of those things, without feeling ungrateful. It’s important to stay in touch with your friends and family back home while also forging new friendships with the people you meet abroad.
But more importantly, it’s important to update your teachers or advisors if you are feeling overwhelmed or if you are just not doing well. They want to be up to date on these things, and more often than not they will be understanding, helpful, and flexible.
4. Don’t neglect the simple things.
A lot of the simplest self-care and mental health things–the advice that mentally ill people usually roll their eyes at–are the easiest to forget when abroad. These are things like drinking plenty of water, going on walks, taking a breath to enjoy the scenery. I know that in all of my study abroad programs, and especially now, I sometimes need to remind myself: I’m in Ireland. That’s so cool! Even if I’m annoyed or exhausted or crying, it feels much cooler to do those things in Ireland than in the states. It’s a small way of looking on the bright side and grounding myself.
5. Remember it’s normal to feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Lastly, the most important tip I have is to remember that you’re not alone in this. Culture shock is a very real thing, and with many programs, there are a lot of new experiences and new information to absorb very quickly. I often felt guilty or ungrateful when I was stressed or exhausted while abroad, because I felt like I should be appreciating it more. It felt like being overwhelmed was a waste of precious time and surely everyone else was having more fun than me–but this mindset isn’t productive. You have to listen to your own body and mind and tend to its needs, because the only person who knows what you need most is you.
