International Student Survival Tips

Stuff I wish I knew before I got on that plane

I'm writing this on the flight back after 4 years abroad. Here's what I'd tell my past self.

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Before you leave

Get your documents organized. Passport, visa, I-20 (or equivalent). Make physical copies AND digital copies stored somewhere you can access from anywhere. Email them to yourself. Save them in Google Drive.

More than once I needed a document and didn't have it. "I'll deal with it when I arrive" doesn't work when you're 8,000 miles from home.

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The first week

Your school will have an orientation. Go to all of it. Yes, even the parts that seem boring or obvious. Especially the parts about:

How to access student services

Health and counseling services

Who your academic advisor is

How to use the library (yes, really)

I skipped half of orientation because I was jet-lagged and thought I knew better. I spent months figuring out things I could've learned in an hour.

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Banking

Open a local bank account ASAP. Your home country's card will charge you fees everywhere. You'll want a local account.

In the US: credit history takes time to build. If you can, get a secured credit card early. You'll need a credit score for apartment applications, phone plans, sometimes even utilities.

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The phone situation

I went through three phone plans my first year. Here's the thing: don't expect to understand the system immediately. Each country is different.

Get something basic to start. Figure out what you actually need. Then optimize.

International student plans exist. Look for them. They usually offer better rates for your situation.

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Food

Learn to cook. Not gourmet — just basic competence. Your wallet will thank you. Your mental health will thank you. Homesickness hits different when you can make your mom's noodles.

Batch cooking is your friend. Sunday afternoons: cook for the week. Yes, really.

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Social

Join things. Clubs. Sports. Volunteer groups. Whatever. The fastest way to find your people is doing something you enjoy with other people.

But also: it's okay to not be okay with socializing all the time. The pressure to "make friends immediately" is real but sometimes counterproductive. Quality over quantity.

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The homesickness wave

It hits around month 3. For me it was突然的. Everything was fine, then one day I couldn't stop crying about a commercial for instant noodles.

This is normal. It passes. Force yourself to do small things that feel normal: call a friend, cook something familiar, take a walk.

If it doesn't pass, or if it's affecting your daily life — talk to someone. Your school's counseling center exists for exactly this reason.