40 Tips for Spending a Semester Abroad

 

I went on exchange during my undergrad degree, and I can honestly say that I don’t think anything in my life will EVER compare. It was the BEST 6 months and I’m still reaping the benefits (HELLO trips to Washington, NYC and Australia!)

In saying that, there were a lot of things that I had to learn from my time abroad. Some things are straight forward, but I needed a kick in the butt to remember them. While others, I wish someone had told me before I went.

So here I’m sharing the top tips I have for anyone going on an exchange semester!

40 Tips for Spending a Semester Abroad

1. You’re about to have the best time of your life
2. There will be scary moments, but you can get through them by taking it one step at a time
3. SAVE, so you don’t have to miss out on cool things once you’re there
4. Sign up for a local buddy if your school offers them
5. Grab a coffee with a student from your university that went to the same destination before you. They will be your best source of knowledge as to what the school and city will be like!
6. Get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees before you leave
7. Have a list of things you must do and check every single one off by the time you leave
8. Think about leaving your straightener/curling iron at home. They tend to fry if they’re not dual voltage (and you’re going from US/CAD to Europe) so it’s a better idea to buy a cheap one there.
9. Try to get your transfer credits approved BEFORE you go. It’ll save you a lot of headache when you get back to ensure all the classes you took can be put towards your degree.
10. On that same note, try and get at least DOUBLE the amount of classes approved than you need. That way you have some wiggle room if one class doesn’t work out for some reason (time overlap, hate the class, etc)
11. Think about not booking a return ticket before your exchange. Unless you have a very specific day that you need to be back, having the ability to pick your return date is great in the instance you want to extend or take an extra trip!
12. Underpack, you’ll accumulate a LOT once you’re there
13. Avoid bringing branded school clothes – you’ll probably buy some from your new school and there’s no point in wasting the luggage space.
14. Bring as many pairs of underwear as you possibly can fit. It lets you do laundry a LOT less frequently.
15. If there are certain branded products (mostly beauty, i.e. lip chap, hairspray, etc) you can’t live without, bring enough with you for your entire stay! Different countries may not carry brands you’re used to.
16. Bring a backpacking backpack, you’ll use it for your trips while you’re abroad. There’s nothing worse than having to drag around your rolling bag while you train/walk to your hostel. The one I used was a 45 L (like this one) that fits in the overhead compartment on all the planes I traveled with.
17. Bring everything you’ll need in the first few days. If that means bringing travel sized shampoo and conditioner, a few cotton swabs, etc. It will make your life easier because there’s nothing you don’t have when you’re trying to adjust to the new time zone.
18. Ensure you arrive with at least some of the local currency. There’s nothing worse than realizing transit doesn’t accept card on the first trip to your dorm.
19. If you can’t get wifi right off the bat and need some time to figure your stuff out, look for a McDonalds or Starbucks. They always have free wifi. If those are no where to be found, check the mall!
20. Respect your dorm, you want to get your security deposit back
21. If your dorm has a common room, do a few laps every few hours at the beginning. It’s the perfect place to scope out the other people in the building and meet them!
22. Remember that everyone is in the same boat as you. They’ve all come to a new place with no friends, so don’t be nervous to reach out. Everyone’s looking to meet new people!
23. Dress like a local, it will make you feel more like one
24. Go to school, but prioritize the experience
25. You’ll only regret the things you don’t do, so do it ALL
26. Leave your dorm, even when you don’t feel like it
27. If someone asks the exchange group if anyone wants to do this or that, say YES! It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and see the city.
28. Stay out late
29. Don’t put things off for “next week” because at one point, there won’t be a next week to do all those things
30. Don’t worry too much about money – this will only happen once
31. Take a free walking tour in your city if they have one, you can forget about the touristy things after you’ve lived there for a while
32. Plan a little, improvise a LOT
33. Take as many pictures as you can, but prioritize videos. They make you feel like you’re in the moment when you look back.
34. If you’re booking Airbnbs, make sure you account for the check in time! Don’t miss the fact that some have a super narrow check in time and could charge you extra if you’re not within it.
35. Avoid ordering packages that have to be delivered to your dorm. For me, it was an absolute NIGHTMARE and one actually never even showed up.
36. If your city has festivals, go to them all! They’re the most authentic view of what a city is all about, and they’re fun!
37. Usually museums have special days with free admission, so take advantage! Check your city’s local tourism website.
38. Check the email you gave to get your visa every once and a while. The government can send you actionable items that must be completed to stay in the country. Do NOT miss those emails (or risk being deported… I’m not kidding)
39. Download the city’s public transportation app
40. Record all about your adventure in a travel journal! It may sound lame at first, but the memories you keep by writing things down in the moment can be looked back on forever. I wrote all about why you need to keep a travel journal while abroad on the blog, and I can say that it’s my favourite memento from my own exchange!

Like I said above, I really don’t think anything will ever compare to the time I spent in Copenhagen, Denmark on my exchange semester. But, I’ll spend my time trying!

xx Victoria

---

P.S. If you’re in need of a packing list, look no further!

Sign up for the mailing list to get access to the Resource Library, including the exchange packing list!

Email Address *

---

Pin for later!