Avoid These 8 Mistakes as a First Year College Student Abroad
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Studying abroad during your first year of college is an exciting adventure; however, adjusting to your college responsibilities—and in a new country, no less—comes with unique challenges.
There are a lot of new things you'll need to prepare for during your first year abroad on top of the usual freshman woes. This guide shares some of the most common mistakes you can make on your first year of college abroad (and how to avoid them!)
1. Pulling All-nighters
Whether you have an assignment you left until the last minute or a social gathering that went a little later than planned, pulling all-nighters is never a good idea. While it may seem like you can handle it, it sets you up to struggle the next morning. Your classes, assignments and overall academic success hinges on you showing up refreshed and ready for the day.
Be sure to plan ahead so you can get to bed at a reasonable hour every night.
2. Sleeping In
College is a busy time in your life, and with the added academic stress and excitement of living abroad, it’s normal to feel extra tired as you adjust. With added pressures zapping you of your energy, you're sure to be tempted to sleep in every day.
Establishing a healthy sleep routine and setting a standard alarm will help ensure you wake up in time for class!
3. Skipping Classes
Your first year of college is the first time in your life that you're responsible for your schedule. Especially while abroad, you no longer have your parents or guardians nearby to encourage you to attend your classes and fulfill your responsibilities! You may be tempted to skip classes every once in a while.
However, skipping classes can jeopardize your GPA. Missing lessons means missing important information that you'll need for future exams and assignments. Good attendance is crucial to earning the college credits you need to graduate.
4. Spending Too Much Money
Completing your first year of college abroad comes with many exciting perks, like seeing new places and trying new things. Unfortunately, travel comes with added costs you likely wouldn't have while going to school at home!
Taking a careful look at your finances and creating a budget that you can stick to while you study abroad is very important. A reasonable budget helps you set expectations for what you can afford so you don't break the bank.
Read our 10 Budgeting Hacks for First Year College Students Abroad.
5. Not Putting Yourself Out There
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a first-year college student abroad is staying in your comfort zone. Feeling overwhelmed in a new environment is natural, especially when navigating a new language, culture and academic setting. But isolating yourself can prevent you from making new friends, experiencing cultural and/or language immersion, and enjoying personal growth—all excellent benefits of studying abroad!
Some of the best ways to put yourself out there are to join local clubs, attend cultural events, and make an effort to chat with new people in your classes.
6. Procrastinating
Procrastination is a universal college experience, but when you're studying abroad, it can make things more difficult. That's because when you're balancing academics and social life on top of exploring your host country, it's even easier for procrastination to creep up on you and impact your studies.
Using a planner to study smarter and completing your assignments in small chunks well before your deadline can help you alleviate stress and keep your grades on track. Avoiding procrastination also ensures you don't have to miss any fun activities to cram in last-minute study sessions!
7. Overloading Your Schedule
While it can be tempting to pack your schedule with interesting new social meetups, extracurriculars and travel plans, it's a careful balancing act! You don't want to overload your calendar with so many things that it causes you to experience burnout and extra stress during your freshman year. Plus, you'll want to ensure you have enough time to enjoy spontaneous activities with new friends.
8. Neglecting Your Health
Between your busy new college schedule and the thrill of being abroad, prioritizing your health and well-being may not feel like a top priority—but it should be! Make sure you save time for all of the things you do at home to care for your physical and mental health. Whether that's going to the gym or daily runs, eating healthy, drinking water, doing hobbies you love, etc., you want to make sure you're happy and healthy while studying abroad.
Kick Off Your College Career on a First Year Abroad Program
CIEE’s First Year Abroad programs allow freshmen to earn college credits abroad as matriculated college students. The FYA program offers students the rare opportunity to experience the joys of living abroad while completing general education requirements needed to graduate college.