Avoid These 7 Common Mistakes
A student's sojourn in the host country encompasses much more than the journey of a normal traveler. Your international experience as a student can be made memorable by avoiding these 7 common mistakes while going abroad:
1. Having No Knowledge about the Host Country
Spending time in a country that has different customs could be a daunting task in itself. You can make your stay abroad more comfortable, by knowing about the culture, language, climate, local laws and other country-specific information
2. Being Bound by Your Comfort Zone
Overcoming your apprehensions and making new friends at your university is not easy. Hence spending time with others from your home country seems more natural and enjoyable. However, you need to step out of your comfort zone, as being bound by it takes away the opportunity of meeting local people, building acquaintances or forging connections.
3. Being Unprepared for Emergencies
Nothing can be worse than not being adequately prepared to tackle emergencies. You should devise smart contingency plans to protect yourself from mental stress and financial loss. This way, you can easily manage glitches relating to illness, accident, legal liability or even interruption of study period.
4. Not Intimating Your Credit Card Company
While abroad you can use a credit card for your daily needs, thus avoiding the hassle of handling foreign currency. It is beneficial to opt for cards that do not charge international transaction fees. However, paying through cards can become tricky if you do not inform the credit card company about your travel plan and duration of stay, before going abroad. Companies without information on the user's location might suspend the card on the ground of suspicious activity.
5. Not Making Budgets
Planning ahead for expenses like travel, food, and weekend sightseeing trips is a must. Budgeting for the week and the month helps you to make informed decisions. A budget also guides you to create funds for important things that you would like to do.
6. Over Engaging in Social Media
It is crucial to connect with friends from back home. However, being over involved on the online social media platforms can rob you of the chance of experiencing campus life or being part of student activities. You need to seek enriching options to address homesickness as well as to stay focussed.
7. Being Uninformed about Current Affairs
Not keeping track of the major events that make news at home and abroad can pose a challenge for your safety. Public demonstrations, political hostility, and international affairs can have an acute bearing on your stay abroad.
Overcoming such mistakes can make your stay abroad rewarding. You can also minimize your emotional trauma and safeguard yourself from financial losses by opting for tailor-made insurance plans.
Know more about insurance plans for students by ICICI Lombard. You can also search for your university and check their requirements and recommendations.