What studying abroad teaches you: 6 things you don’t realise

Studying abroad can be the defining moment in your education that will shape the rest of your life. You’ll make lifelong friends who might one day become business partners, you’ll improve your English language skills, you’ll earn a world-class degree, you’ll experience new cultures and so much more.

However, there are still so many things studying abroad teaches you that you don't yet realise. From enjoying even more independence to appreciating the little things in life, here are six important things you’ll learn when studying abroad.

1. You’ll finally become independent
2. You’ll begin to appreciate the little things in life
3. You’ll discover new passions, hobbies and interests
4. You’ll learn how to cope with tough situations
5. You’ll stand out more to future employers
6. You’ll become more confident than you can imagine

1. You’ll enjoy more independence

When studying abroad, you’ll experience a new level of freedom. Although you won’t have your family and friends with you all the time, it’s completely okay. You’ll learn to cope with things on your own and become more confident.

If you do need any help to settle in, institutions like Newcastle University have a student health and wellbeing service willing to help.

You’ll become self-aware as you begin to understand how to budget, how to cook and use foreign currencies. While it sounds like a lot right now, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll adjust to the level of independence. This can include paying your bills, learning to budget and making your own big decisions in life.

2. You’ll begin to appreciate the little things in life

This is something everyone is usually guilty of. It’s easy to overlook the small things in life when we live in a materialistic world and take things for granted.

However, when studying abroad, you’ll begin to appreciate the little things in life. This can be anything from phone and video calls from your friends and family to having somebody do your laundry for you.

3. You’ll discover new passions, hobbies and interests

You might even develop a much more open mind than before you started studying abroad. There might be food and drink you’ve never tried before or even hobbies you’ve never heard of.

With so many options out there and plenty of students in the same position as you, you'll quickly become comfortable at trying new things. It can be anything from going to a brand new restaurant and having food you’ve never tried before to trying out a new society or club.

If you’ve experienced these things when studying abroad, it’ll be easier to get out of your comfort zone in future.

4. You’ll learn how to cope with tough situations

You’ll also learn how to cope with tough situations and at the same time, you’ll understand just how strong you really are as a person.

You might be ill and have to visit the doctor yourself or even buy your own medicine.

This will help you become a much stronger person and help you later on in life by being able to cope with any tough situations while studying abroad.

5. You’ll stand out more to future employers

Studying abroad in a place like the UK will help you a lot when you’re looking for your dream job.Going on this exciting journey tells potential employers a lot about you as a person before they even meet you.

For example, it might show them that you were confident enough to try something new and study in a different country.

Businesses also love people who can speak another language. So, if English isn’t your first language, studying in the UK can help you improve.

6. You’ll become more confident than you can imagine

Studying abroad means you’re likely to travel alone. This takes a new level of confidence that you probably didn’t know you had in you. Whether you’re ordering food or buying train tickets, you’ll notice over time that everything you do in your new city, you do it with more confidence each time.

In fact, studies have shown that 98% of students who studied abroad said they felt more confident by the time they went back home.

This is an important stage in your life and in your personal development, so take the opportunity and do something not many students are fortunate enough to do.

Before you can learn all of these incredible things in the UK, you need to make sure you have four important things finalised as part of your application.