As the countdown until I leave for Florence, Italy draws closer, my mind and anxiety begins to spin more. Although I could not be more excited to experience a new culture, see the world, and see so many things I have never seen before, it is still a strenuous thought process to think through. Being the type A individual that I am, I enjoy calming my anxiety by making lists, organizing what will happen, and putting the experience into perspective. Personally, I tend to make situations worse for myself by thinking about future steps in every scenario that could happen, but have learned that there are much healthier options. Therefore, I am going to share a few tips that have helped me organize my thoughts and experience before the exciting, yet nerve racking study abroad education that is ahead.
Tip 1: Think ahead and submit your visa application early.
The visa application for any study abroad program is complicated and can be a huge area of stress on any individual. Each program is different in how you get the visa and specifically which consulate to submit your materials to. For Florence, I had to send my passport and various documents to the Chicago consulate office where it would be processed and returned (hopefully) before my departure date. The biggest recommendation I can give is to make sure you give it the proper amount of time, but don’t focus too much on it at the same time. Ensure that your documents are correct and in the right order, but do not stress about pieces you cannot control.
Additionally, I would also recommend that you schedule a meeting with your home school’s education abroad advisor in order to go through the materials you have prepared and get a second set of eyes on the documents. For my anxious personality, it was extremely helpful and mind-settling to talk through my documents and compare them to successful applications from the past as my advisor had a ton of experience in the area. Once I organized all the visa documents and the tracking numbers for all materials being sent out, it was hard to move forward from the stress of it arriving on time. Understanding that at this moment, the visa is not in my control and whatever happens will work out is a huge concept that distresses my thought process.
Tip 2: Dates do not have to be exact for various flights and information.
One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received from my advisor was not to stress over exact dates for arrival and departure as Florence has a 90-day US Passport availability when it comes to travel. As someone who plans to travel after the end-date of my program, it was nearly impossible to fill out all the forms with exact dates and times for departure periods. It was a huge stressor for me in trying to figure out everything I would be doing, but once I had a brief conversation with my advisor it was better. I booked the flight for a week after my program ended, but used an airline with accessibility to change the flight and area depending on where I will be, leading to me putting the flight that was booked on all my forms, but understanding that I will have a 90-day grace period to travel if wanted after the end date.
On the other hand, you do want to make sure any personal information for yourself is correct and legible on everything. The forms are vital to a successful travel experience, which cannot be ignored. There is a present balance between organizing your information well and creating a huge bubble of anxiety about the situation.
Tip 3: Create a packing list with even the most minute details.
As I’ve said previously, I am a Type A individual who thrives off of organization and writing down the stressors that are keeping my anxiety up. Throughout the day, I would often think of things I needed to bring, but never remembered to write them down. Starting the list of everything needed, down to the detail, was a huge weight off my shoulders. When I say down to the detail, I really mean down to the detail. I wrote things like my hairbrush, tweezers, and scissors for things that I will need, but won’t necessarily think about in the future. My plan is when I pack over Christmas break, I will follow the list and organize things in the most efficient way for myself.
I would also like to touch on the concept of packing for a 6-month abroad experience that changes seasons normally. It may be difficult for most to figure out how to pack efficiently and effectively in order to make sure you do not have too much luggage, but are able to have at least one clothing item for each outfit that is needed. What has worked for me is creating piles/sections in my room of different seasonal clothes I will be wearing to make sure I have enough to last at least a week. Additionally, I am under the impression that I will want to buy new clothes while abroad, so I am planning to not pack as much as I would want to. Specifically, I am planning to have a checked bag, a carry on, and a personal item for my time in Italy. The carry-on will have most of the essentials with the caution that airport confusion could lose my checked bag. Packing is never easy, but by organizing and thinking ahead it has helped ease my nervousness.
Tip 4: Consider the importance of mental health.
Culture shock is real and can affect people in different ways. It is extremely important to understand yourself and your mind in order to take the proper steps ahead of time to ensure your mental health is great while there. For instance, I struggle with being alone and tend to get home-sick for the first few weeks of a new location, but as I get more involved and comfortable with my surroundings, it becomes easier. Therefore, I decided to study using the homestay program instead of an individual apartment so I don’t lose that human connection while abroad. I have a much better chance of going out and experiencing the area if I have more people helping to motivate me in my travels.
Also, make sure you look up if the medication you are taking is legal in your country abroad as some mental health medications are not. If they are not, then you may need to think ahead in what steps you should take. Living in another area of the world is a huge adjustment from what we are used to, so you need to allow yourself the time and slack to adjust.
Tip 5: Don’t forget the why.
Through all the stress and anxiety about the impending trip, you may forget the incredible experience you are about to embark in! The reason any of us decide to travel abroad boils down to a want to see the world and try something new that may be outside of our comfort zone. It is important to balance your need to stay on top of the experience, but also fuel the thrill within yourself on why you are studying abroad. Personally speaking, I love learning about other cultures and seeing how the world is different in other locations! I love traveling and want to see the world as much as I can throughout life, so the way I fuel my energy is by looking at all the locations and places there are world-wide. I enjoy looking up different beautiful scenery, cozy environments, and authentic cultures throughout the world that allow me to expand my worldview.
The most important thing I can recommend is to make yourself excited about the experience and remember the reason you are there. Everyone has their own personal journey and thought process when it comes to deciding to study abroad, so make sure you don’t lose that original spark. In fact, I would make sure that you allow it to grow strong and become more of an excited feeling than anything else. Make sure to not forget the “why” of choosing to study abroad.
