So, you’ve successfully completed your university and visa applications. You have been accepted onto your dream course, your visa is in your hand; you have everything you need to start living your dream. But now begins the process of feeling all the feels involved in leaving home and moving abroad, perhaps for the first time in your life. Excitement may be your initial feeling but along with it comes many others.
Studying abroad involves a rollercoaster of emotions
There will be times when you’re feeling super-excited, hopeful and eager to leave home. There will also be times of extreme sadness and all the feelings in between. Riding the rollercoaster of emotions can be exhausting and it may impact on your mental health.
How will I feel before I leave?
The period just before you leave will be very busy; you’ll be packing, seeing friends and visiting family. There may very little time to feel and when you do it may be one of expectation, excitement and anticipation of all the things to come.
However, there will be other, less pleasant emotions such as:
- stress about packing, what to take, what to leave behind, etc.
- anxious about the unknown
- sad about leaving your family and friends
- worried about the journey, the arriving, the university accommodation, course, etc
- scared – this may be the first time you’ll be travelling and/or living away from your family and friends.
Tip – don’t try and hide these feelings. Talk to your friends and family; they may have experienced something similar. Your parents may have emigrated for work, your aunt/uncle/cousin may also have studied abroad. Open up and share your feelings with your loved ones.
What will the first few weeks be like?
When you first arrive you’ll be exhausted from the long journey and uncomfortable flight. Remember being tired can make emotions feel even stronger sometimes making it difficult to experience things rationally. It’s important to rest soon after arrival to help put things into perspective.
Every new university student will experience feelings of homesickness, for international students this will be even stronger because of the geographical distance.
Along with homesickness there may be feelings of loneliness and a sense of self-doubt. You may feel that you don’t know if you can continue to handle everything on your own; being a new international student at university will push you out of your comfort zone on every level.
Every international student will tell you that the first few weeks are the hardest when everything feels like a challenge. From getting over jet lag and getting everything you need, to adjusting to a new academic culture, making new friends and eating different food.
All of these very strong feelings will have an important impact on your mental health and mental wellbeing, so it’s important to find support and help from the university's wellbeing teams and international student services.
On the positive side
It’s important to acknowledge that all your feelings are valid, you're entitled to feel low and unable to cope; it isn’t a sign of weakness at all. Speak to other new international students and you’ll find that you share similar feelings even if you don’t share similar cultures or languages.
With every obstacle that you face you’ll also discover new skills and strengths you didn’t know you had before. You’ll discover that being pushed outside your comfort zone shows you aspects of your character you might not recognise. Perhaps you never used to be so sociable? Maybe you were never this independent?
Tips and advice to make new university life easier
Here are just a few ideas to help combat homesickness and the other overwhelming feelings of being far from home:
- join university clubs and societies
- go to freshers fair / orientation week
- celebrate your small wins
- use the Student Wellbeing Service at your university
- don’t hide away in your room – this will increase feelings of loneliness
- get to know your flatmates
With time, you’ll also begin to make friends and feel less lonely. Sharing experiences, knowledge, culture and food with your new friends will make you feel closer to your life back home.
Today’s technology means that despite time differences, you’ll still be able to talk to and see your family and friends when you need them. You may not be able to touch them or give them a hug but their smiling faces and words of encouragement will help you to push on and continue to grow. Homesickness may never quite disappear but it will become more manageable and easier. We promise.
Useful resources
- Bumper guide to mental health for international students
- How to get support at university
- How do universities help all international students feel included?
- Dealing with the pressure of being a scholarship student
- Help I can’t travel home for the holidays
- Useful English language for socialising
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