Moving to a new city or country can be hard for even the best students. Although studying abroad can be exciting, the culture shock of a new place can cause some serious homesickness. Here are 5 tips to getting comfortable in your new space and city:
Tip#1: Pack 1-2 items that remind you of home.
These items can be a blanket, a picture of your family, or even your favorite sweatshirt. Anything that gives you comfort and that you can keep in your room to make it feel more like home.
Tip #2: Take public transit or walk from place to place as much as possible.
Not only is this the best way to save some money while studying abroad, but it is also the best way to get acquainted with your new city. Over time, you’ll slowly start to become more familiar with the layout of the city. Once you start to know where you are going, you will feel less out of place and more a part of Rome.
Tip #3: Interact with locals as much as possible.
It can be scary to interact with new people, especially if you are more of an introverted person, but by asking them questions about the city or recommendations on places to go they will be more likely to tell you the best places to go and it opens the door to become friends with more people in the city.
Tip #4: Create a new routine for yourself.
If you are anything like me, I love having a good routine and knowing exactly when and where I need to be each day. When studying abroad, routines are hard because one minute you have a plan for the day, and the next you are invited to go explore the city or spend time with other students. It is always good to be flexible but knowing when to study and when to go out plays a big role in how successful you will be over the course of the semester. To help myself with this, I tried to stick to waking up at the same time each morning during the week, going for a walk or run, and then studying before and in between classes so that I could have the nights to explore and hang out with other students. This became my weekday routine and helped me find the perfect school-life balance.
Tip #5: Find your Rome Family
This one may be the hardest of all the tips but has the biggest reward. Looking back on study abroad one of the biggest things you’ll remember is the people that you did it with. You’ll meet so many new people, so quickly, and in an environment where friendship is bound to happen. These friendships are anything but normal because you are constantly with each other that they slowly become family. This being said I do not think you will ever stop missing your family back home, but with a good group of people around you daily, it gets a lot easier.
Homesickness and culture shock will happen while abroad, guaranteed, but believe it or not homesickness has a positive outcome and that is the growth. Studying abroad forces you to come out of your comfort zone more than any other experience, so try to focus on the positives and keep growing!
Are you interested in the chance to study abroad in Rome?
Contact John Cabot University today!