Going abroad will be one of the best experiences of your life. It will be a semester full of change; being in a different country, at a new school, making new friends, and being presented with new opportunities. This time can be both extremely exciting and a tad overwhelming. Right now, I feel like my life is moving a million miles an hour and in order to stay feeling my best I have made a conscious effort to prioritize my mental and physical health. Below I have listed a few tips that have worked for me the short time that I have been abroad.
1. Find Balance
Creating a weekly schedule with your activities including classes, workouts, plans with friends, club meetings, etc. should help you find balance and ease anxiety levels. When planning your week don’t forget to set time aside to chat with loved ones: they understand you best and are a great support system. Also, remember that you can do anything but not everything, so leave some time for yourself and don’t overbook!
2. Eat and Drink Well
Fueling your body with (relatively) nutritious foods and staying hydrated will help you feel your best. Here in New Zealand, I have a kitchen and have been cooking for myself. I try to have fun with recipes and eat a balanced diet. If you don’t have access to a kitchen or are in a homestay, eating healthy may seem intimidating but control what you can such as snacks. Some healthy alternatives to keep on hand are nuts, yogurt and granola, fruit, veggies and hummus, and granola bars. In addition to eating well, staying hydrated is as equally, if not more important. Even mild hydration can negatively affect your mood, energy level, and ability to think clearly. Try carrying a reusable water bottle and regularly taking sips throughout the day.
3. Reflect
Being abroad can sometimes be a lot to process. Remember to take time to assess your mental and physical well-being daily through the practice of meditation and/or journaling. Focusing on your mind and body for a few minutes a day when you wake up or before you go to bed will make you feel grounded and in control. Similarly, keeping a journal will allow you to express your emotions, track your health, and document/reflect on your experience. It will also be fun to look back on your journal in a few years!
4. Workout Regularly
Contrary to popular belief, there are other options to get your heart rate up other than visiting the university gym. Of course most universities have great workout facilities and usually offer free memberships to students, but you could also join a club or intramural team, find a local park to run/workout in, or follow along free workouts on an app or Youtube. Also, look into classes that allow you to learn new physical activities. For example, University of Canterbury offers a sports coaching class in rock climbing which I am enrolled in. This way I can learn a new skill while also being active because my homework is to go to the gym to and practice climbing on the rock wall. Remember, the main goal is to get your body moving so if you can’t find the time to complete a workout, take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk to the store instead of taking the bus. Whatever workout option you choose remember to blast your favorite tunes and encourage your friends to join in the fun!
5. Try a Social Media Detox
Remember to live in the moment. This is a journey of a lifetime and you want to experience as much as possible. Of course going on social media for 30 minutes a day won’t kill you, but you have so many other awesome things going on around you that you wouldn’t want to miss. For the daredevils, I suggest deleting some of your social media apps and pausing your Netflix subscription to see if you even miss them. If you won’t accept the social media detox challenge, then at least try not to get caught up in taking the perfect picture for instagram or vlogging 24/7 for your Youtube channel. Focus on the present and you won’t regret it!
6. Be flexible
I will tell you right now that things will not go as planned, so be flexible. So far, my on-campus housing was switched locations 2 days before I landed, my bags were delayed by 48 hours, and I am still waiting for my enrollment to be processed correctly. Even though these issues were/are anxiety provoking, I stayed calm and worked through them. I wasn’t able to fix the situations but I could control my reactions and not let them bother me too much. I also advocated for myself and politely explained to the Air New Zealand customer service representatives and school officials how they could assist me in reaching my end goal. This worked out well and I have been satisfied with the results. Additionally, plans with friends might also go awry, so remember to stay open minded and just go with the flow.
7. Redefine Your Definition of Success
Realize that you’ll have different opportunities abroad compared to at your home university but that doesn’t mean you won’t be as equally successful. Moving to a new city, attending a new school, and adjusting to a new lifestyle are all major accomplishments that should be celebrated. There’s no need to feel inadequate for not publishing a paper or volunteering at a soup kitchen while you’re away because that’s just not realistic to fit into your schedule. Instead, use this time to focus on self growth and be proud of yourself for stepping outside of your comfort zone in the activities you partake in.
Making your health a priority will allow for the best possible experience as your body and mind will be ready to embrace the new challenges abroad. If you feel overwhelmed by this list just start with one of the items for a week and see if it makes a difference in the way you feel.
Thanks for reading, I wish you the best of luck on your adventure!
