10 Lessons I Learned While Abroad

​You can’t push things off to do later.

• ​If you want to do something, schedule it. Time flies and you won’t have all semester to try an activity or go to a certain restaurant.

You can’t expect everything that worked in your home country to work the same way here.​

• It’s only frustrating if you’re unwilling to learn and to accommodate. For example, Google maps or Apple maps don't work, so Kakao and Naver maps are the way to go.

Trust your instinct and recognize your priorities.

• Whether it’s in the people you surround yourself with, the balance between your schoolwork and social life, or the travel style you want to have while visiting new places, it’ll be most successful if you can see what’s best for you early on.

You can’t expect to meet locals and befriend them without effort on your part as well. 

• Though you can meet some people through Seoulmates or YECCO buddies, the experiences are what you make of it, and you might have to go out of your way to meet even more people. But once you do, remember that you have to also contribute 50/50 in keeping up new relationships with the people you meet.

Don’t go into something being blinded by expectations.

• Sure, it’s important to have goals and certain expectations for anything, including trips, activities, people, and interactions, but be careful not to be disappointed by any false realities you might have created for yourself through what you may have heard from others or the internet. Experiences of others are unique to them, and you can create your own.

If you’re confused about cultural or societal aspects, don’t complain right away — instead, ask locals why it’s so? See from a new perspective.

• It’s easy to shift blame and complain, but there’s often a reason for everything, and perhaps by seeing it from different perspectives, it can offer a solution or a way to understand.

You can meet some of the best people in your life – allow it!

• It can seem like the relationships you form here are temporary, because you will be here for only about 5 months, but it’s quite a long time, and who know what it can lead to? You can meet the greatest of friends or simply meet a diverse group of people.

Studying abroad feels like a long vacation sometimes, but don’t forget about the study part!

• Yonsei has a large range of classes that you probably won’t find in your home university, so take advantage of it! Even aside from academic classes, you can take things like scuba diving, horseback riding, singing lessons, tennis, and more. And also beyond classes, remember to take in any moment that allows for a learning experience, whether it is about culture, history, or even about yourself!

Try out things you can only experience in Korea.

• It’s easy to fall back into comfort and familiarity, which is good at times, but don’t forget to recognize what you can do in your limited time here. Don’t let the busyness of everyday life drag out the energy that you once had to explore new streets of cafes, go to events, look at exhibits in museums, and try new food.

Take back what you learned and experienced and apply it to your life back at home or wherever you go afterwards.

• The months you spend here are incredibly precious because you grow and learn so much, so it’s important to hold them close!