Keep Calm You’re Going Abroad: Mental Preparation

As the countdown going abroad came closer, my excitement started to fade and the more nervous I became. It is natural to be nervous going abroad, but here are some tips to make the butterflies in your stomach fade away.

Going abroad was the first and longest time I  have ever been away from home. I left to go abroad in January and ended up coming back to DC in July; a whole 7 months I was gone! Looking back on it now, studying abroad was probably the coolest and most rewarding experience I have done, but before leaving I could not wrap my head around being in a foreign country  without friends, family, and not knowing anyone.  I even remember crying a little in the Frankfurt airport before catching my train to Freiburg from constantly hearing German, with English appearing to be absent. I know German, but in the moment I remember feeling so overwhelmed and nervous to actually speak German outside of my college classroom to real Germans. But this was only the beginning of my adventure.

Despite being nervous, I had some tricks to help me keep calm and carry on:

Breathe 

Take a deep breathe whenever you are feeling overwhelmed. Just stop and think, everything will turn out alright.

Write your feelings down

I used a travel journal to describe how I was feelings and to document my travels during my semester. It helps you vent and asses your feelings and reflect on your own thoughts. Write about how you feel before you leave for abroad and try to continuously write through the semester; you will be amazed at your own personal growth.

Communicate with others

Whenever I would been overwhelmed, nervous, or even homesick abroad I would reach out to my close friends and family back home. Keep in touch because those back home miss you as well and can offer some comfort.

Set goals for yourself

It is easy to accomplish something when you make it a goal, so if you are nervous about going abroad, make a goal to do something fun or to better your own personal growth. It is a challenge for yourself and it can excite you for the trip ahead.

Aside from my own personal tips, Matador Network has 8 ways to manage pre-trip anxiety to help my your adventure less worrisome and more fun.

Check out Mobile International USA’s 15 ways to feel emotionally ready in preparation for study abroad or for traveling in general.

You can do this, time to embark on an adventure!