SEC 1
By Aditi Khandelwal (BFA Graphic Design ’27)
People tell you that studying abroad is going to be the best experience of your life. That it will change you. That you will experience things you couldn’t imagine, discover places you didn’t know existed, and make friends from all over the world. While this is almost certainly true, people rarely talk about how overwhelming the first few weeks can feel.
Settling into a new country is exciting, but it can also be deeply nerve-wracking. You are learning how to exist in an unfamiliar environment; navigating public transportation, adjusting to cultural differences, figuring out grocery stores, academic expectations, and social circles all at once, and often in another language. As someone who is now in their third week of studying abroad, I’ve recently experienced this adjustment period firsthand. Here are a few things that made settling in feel easier and more manageable.
SEC 2
Say yes – even when it feels uncomfortable
The first two weeks of study abroad are filled with opportunities disguised as uncertainties. You might be invited to orientation activities, spontaneous group dinners, weekend trips, group outings where you don’t know anyone yet. It can feel safer in your room, calling home or sticking to whatever is familiar. Saying yes is often where the best experiences begin.
For example, one Wednesday night, my roommates suggested we take a walk around the city. I was exhausted from classes, cold, and ready to stay in, but I went anyway. We ended up ducking into a small café to warm up, when the radio suddenly started playing Justin Bieber throwbacks. We sang along, and so did the three local Italian women next to us. Within five minutes we were dancing together. That spontaneous night turned strangers into friends, and now they’re the ones showing me Florence beyond the guidebooks.
Saying yes doesn’t mean forcing yourself into uncomfortable situations, but it does mean stepping out of your comfort zone. Allow yourself to be open — to new people, new routines and new experiences. Sometimes, the moments you almost skipped become the ones you reminisce about the most.
Be prepared, but accept things will go wrong
Preparation reduces stress significantly. Learning a few basic phrases in the local language, researching phone plans, understanding currencies, downloading transportation apps, organizing important documents, all can help you feel more grounded in your new environment.
At the same time, no amount of preparation can eliminate unpredictability. You might get lost. You will miss trains. You may accidentally order something completely different from what you expected. While these occurrences can feel frustrating in the moment, they will turn into stories that you will laugh about later.
One night, my friends proudly attempted to order dinner in Italian. What they didn’t realize was that the waitress was asking if they were okay sharing a table with two strangers because the restaurant was full. Confident but confused, they said yes. Minutes later, they found themselves sharing a meal with complete strangers. While they were startled at first, it’s now one of their favorite stories, and a perfect example of how study abroad sometimes works best when you don’t fully know what you’ve agreed to.
SEC 3
Ask for help – everyone else is also figuring it out
Yes, this is the hardest one. Some of us feel the common pressure to appear confident and independent while studying abroad, some of us are apprehensive about reaching out to others. However, the reality is that most students are quietly struggling with similar challenges. Whether it’s locating a classroom, figuring out the laundry system, understanding healthcare and administrative processes, asking for help can make an enormous difference.
Ask locals for directions. Ask classmates how they’re adjusting. Ask professors or mentors questions that feel obvious. More often than not, people are eager to help. More often than not, people need help like you, and these small exchanges can turn into meaningful cultural exchanges. Asking for help doesn’t make you less capable, it makes you more adaptable.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to have the “perfect” experience
This is often an unspoken expectation that studying abroad feels magical all the time. Social media can amplify this pressure — constant travel, perfect meals, endless excitement. But adjusting to a new environment is emotionally complex. It is normal to feel lonely, homesick, lost or exhausted, while also feeling excited and grateful.
Two truths can exist at one time. Allow yourself to feel both. Sometimes, the most valuable part of studying abroad is creating your own routine; finding your favorite cafe, discovering a study spot, taking walks down a familiar road. Routines create a sense of stability that makes everything else more manageable.
Remember, studying abroad isn’t defined by how much you do, but by how deeply you allow yourself to experience it.
SEC 4
Give yourself time
The first two weeks are rarely a reflection of what your entire study abroad experience will feel like. Comfort and familiarity take time to build, and they build slowly. Once you see amicable faces, take the same buses, learn cultural rhythms and form genuine relationships, you will see that a place that was once foreign can slowly feel like it belongs to you.
Remember, there was a time when even the U of I felt overwhelming and unfamiliar. The first time you walked across the Quad, found your classrooms, or navigated the MTD buses, you were building that same sense of belonging from scratch. And now? It’s home.
Study abroad is not about instant comfort. It’s about growth through the in-between. The same resilience, curiosity, and openness that helped you find your place at U of I will guide you here too. You’ve done this before. Trust yourself, you can do it again.
