Hampton Zidlicky: Blog Post #2

Going abroad alone for the first time was definitely a bit overwhelming. I thought with the program being relatively short, that I wouldn’t have to mentally prepare as much as students who study abroad for an entire semester. While this is true, I feel that there are things I wish I had known before I left for Japan. Listed are my five biggest tips when studying abroad!

• Always be open to new experiences: whether it’s taking off your shoes to eat, trying various foods, or navigating the transportation system, immersing yourself as much as possible in the community norms will allow you to get the absolute most out of your time abroad.
• Say “yes” to everything you can: capitalize on your time there! You can always sleep later. Make sure to prioritize what you want to do first and foremost.
• Create some sort of community: your peers abroad don’t have to be your best friends for life, but you should make a point of going out of your way to meet and befriend people. No one else understands what you’re experiencing quite as much as those in the program with you.
• Feeling homesick is normal: especially for those who have yet to spend time far away from home and their family members. Personally, being in opposing time zones, 14 hours apart, was really tough for me. It will force you to become more independent and focus on your time abroad.
• Be flexible: plans won’t always go the way you had hoped, and things may come up that you were unprepared for. Try to go with the flow the best that you can!