Being an international student can be a really tricky transition. You have to leave your home country and typically move to a place that you’ve barely even been in before. My experience was no different and definitely wasn’t a smooth transition. I didn’t get the typical American college move-in experience with my whole family moving me in. Instead, I packed all of the clothes I could into a suitcase, had to buy everything I would need while in London, and moved myself into an accommodation and entirely new university that I had never seen before. I spent the first few weeks feeling totally fine and super excited for this new experience. It was almost weird how not-homesick I was and after a few weeks, it finally hit me. I felt so incredibly lonely, like I didn’t know what I was doing, and that I was impeccably embodying the “dumb American” stereotype. Most of my first year was a battle of getting used to living in a city as a person from the rural suburbs, adjusting to the British education system, and finding ways to build up my confidence again. Despite the hardships, I loved being in London and in my third year, I still do and wouldn’t trade a second of my experience! As a third year now, I would say I’m pretty qualified to share some tips and things that I learned in may past two years:
- Making friends is difficult and the idea that everyone is in the same boat as you is not true, but you will get through it!
Everyone back home assured me that making new friends wouldn’t be an issue because everyone is moving to a new uni and will be forced to make new friends, but unfortunately that just isn’t true. Lots of people will have not moved far at all and will still have their childhood friends with them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build long lasting friendships too! I definitely struggled with being jealous about this, but now I know that I can make quality friends and even make friend-of-friend connections.
- It’s okay to feel like you’re missing out on your home country’s university experience!
American colleges are well known for their huge events, school spirit, sprawling campuses, and beautiful quads. When I heard my friends back home talk about this experience, I always felt bad that I was giving that up. However, that doesn’t mean that I and you aren’t getting a totally unique experience too! Being an international student has given me the opportunity to travel to a whole new place and being a London student has let me travel to even more new places! It’s not just the one university experience I get, it’s a whole new world to me!
- Try to become friends with other international students!
They don’t need to be from your home country, but finding anybody who is going through the same transition as you will make you feel less alone. Back in first year, I was so unprepared for how isolated I would feel and I didn’t realize that every other international student was actually going through the same thing. This really hit me when I found out one of my friends who I considered to be very extroverted and cheerful was feeling the same kind of loneliness I was - and now we’re flatmates!
- Always be yourself!
This is very cliche advice, but as an American in the UK, I still feel like the way I dress and a lot of my mannerisms make me stick out, but it’s okay to be confident in yourself and the way you like to do things!