Hear From Fellow Students

Make sure you pack for the weather. In Spain, September is one of the hottest months of the year, especially in places like Valencia and Cordoba. [My second semester during] winter in Norway was very cold, more so than we are used to in the UK.

It helped having the community of Global Ambassadors to lean on. We were all going through the same things at the same times, and a lot of us had similar problems (with schools, visas, bank accounts, etc.).

I wish I’d looked at the services available where I was going to be living, for example, where the pharmacies, hospitals, and post offices are located. It would have made things a lot easier when I needed them.

Make sure you carry the correct currency, as not everywhere uses the Euro. This is especially important if you split your year abroad and go somewhere else, or travel in the summer.

Foreign administration takes time – the longer you allow for forms to be sent back to you, the better.

I couldn’t work while abroad, so if you want to go traveling after your time abroad ensure that you have saved and budgeted enough.

Make sure you carry at least some cash as not everywhere will take card.

Find people going to the same destination you are and talk to them! I'm not naturally sociable but I forced myself to message people and go to almost all the events that people were organising and it definitely paid off.

Even if you know roughly what to expect and read up lots beforehand, like I did, the culture shock is unavoidable and it takes time to get used to your new surroundings. The best thing is to just be aware that it will take time and enjoy the journey.

Moving around and figuring out what I was allowed to do was hard, as different sources had different information. I resolved to just try and ask locals whenever I felt confused about something and most of the time, they were really helpful.

Even if you don’t wish to become fluent in a language, buying a phrasebook or using a free app, such as Duolingo, to learn some useful phrases will go a long way to endear you to the locals as you are making an effort.

I struggled with the different style of teaching. I remedied this by talking to my lecturers and other students for study tips.

When everything is new, I felt a constant pressure to be active, socialise and 'put myself out there'. But I learned that it is equally important to take some time for yourself, and that it is okay to say no to some plans.

Don't feel attacked or unwelcome because of different cultural tendencies, instead focus on the positives!

Most universities and cities have opportunities for international students to connect and meet each other.

I made amazing some friends, who I worked with in the office. Working together 9-5 everyday was a really easy way to make immediate friends.

The people in my labs were all from Valencia so it was great getting to spend a lot of my time with locals and being able to hear the local language.

It was surprisingly easy to meet people, as so many people were wanting to practice English and willing to help teach me their own language.

During my time abroad, I made friends with people from Mexico, New York, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Korea and Germany to name a few! Some are now friends for life and I have already hosted some of my Dutch friends over here in the UK.

Don’t let someone’s native language be an influential factor in making friends, but see it as an opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

By the end of my year abroad, I came away with an amazing circle of lifelong friends. Just because you don't meet people that you click with instantly does not mean you never will.

It is okay to say no to some plans. The experience of studying abroad is different for everyone and, for me, time alone to explore the cities, museums and parks were vital to achieving my own happiness.

Moving abroad in an incredibly challenging thing to do and it takes most people at least a couple of months to settle in and get used to their new place. Don't panic at the start if you feel overwhelmed and out of place – it's expected.

It takes time to get used to the new place you are living in, so don't let your first reactions dictate the whole of your time there. I think most people shed tears at the start when they realise the reality of having left their own country.

I can be quite chatty! Constantly meeting new people means I have learnt how to make a lot of small talk but also gained the confidence to speak to new people in any situation.

I can do more than I believed I could. I can climb and learn to surf. I can deal with cockroaches and be calm when I see a spider the size of my palm. I can live in a different country and make friends. I remember what matters to me wherever I am.

I am actually good at coping in a completely foreign situation.

I can be extremely independent. Having to do everyday things alone in a country where you don’t know anyone can be daunting, but you soon learn how to enjoy these everyday tasks!

Being abroad helped me realise that I could be confident in new situations.

When studying abroad, you realise how big the world is and how everyone's perspective of the world is so unique. I found it hard to go back home, where I was no longer meeting so many other exchange students whom I could constantly learn from.

I learnt so much about new places people but mainly about my own country and myself. My experience made me reconsider what I thought of as normal. It taught me that we should have open eyes and open hearts to discover how different our lives are.

I felt like I had changed a lot internally, but everything else was the same upon returning, which was a bit strange and almost like I no longer belonged [here]. However, this is a feeling that dims in intensity as I get used to life in the UK again.