Posted on Monday, August 26th, 2013 at 9:59 am

Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime experience, and it can be one of the best times of your life. However, if you spend your time locked away in your room, on Facebook, or only socialize with people from your home country, well, you may as well have stayed at home.

The following are some tips on how to make the most of your study abroad experience:

1. Make a list of exactly what you want to get out of your experience.

Whether that’s seeing the sights, experiencing a different style of learning, or something else, figure out exactly what you want to do and make a plan to make sure you do it. You don’t want to come back home and realize that you didn’t do half the things you’d intended to.

2. Branch out.

Culture shock can be hard, but it’s important to reach out and interact with fellow students. It can be tempting to find a group of fellow study abroad students from your home country, but if you only spend time with them, what’s the point of studying abroad? It might be nerve-wracking to approach someone new, but as soon as you say you’re from a different country, people will be falling over themselves to talk to you.

3. Don’t let your grades fall.

Don’t forget: you’re here to study abroad. Have fun, but not so much that you completely ruin your GPA. Try to find the right balance between experiencing your host country and keeping up with your coursework.

4. Try everything.

The point of studying abroad is to experience a new culture, so try to experience everything you can – even the really gross-looking food. Who knows, you may find that it becomes your new favorite.

5. Budget carefully.

You will want to come home with souvenirs and mementos – and you should! But try not to spend all of the money you’ve budgeted for “fun things” in the first month of your stay. Be mindful of how much you’re spending, and how much you can afford to spend.

If you would like to learn more about studying abroad, please visit our study abroad page for more information and advice. If you need further information on healthcare when studying abroad, please do not hesitate to contact one of our insurance experts who will be happy to assist you!

Posted by Jennifer Frankel

Jennifer is the International Director at International Student Insurance. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Florida where she holds a Masters in International Business and a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She has lived and worked abroad in Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica and England, and traveled extensively in South America, Europe and Asia.