Studying Abroad: Tips for Student Relocation
Posted on 20/11/2020
Helpful Tips for a Student Moving Abroad
Moving house and leaving for University is nerve-wracking at the best of times. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper way to achieve your degree, you may want to study abroad and this can be even more daunting. When moving abroad to study, you’re potentially moving away from your friends and family for long stretches at a time, since it’s not practical to simply visit home at a minute’s notice to collect forgotten belongings, you need to remember to bring everything you’ll need to use while away. Here are some tips on what you can take and others ways to ensure your move to your new student accommodation runs as smoothly as possible.
Packing
When moving abroad for education, it’s impractical to bring too many belongings with you but on the other hand, you don’t want to leave anything behind. Therefore, you need to strike a balance between items you want to bring and you need to bring. Make a moving checklist which includes different categories, such as essentials and luxuries. Begin to pack as soon as possible so you can potentially whittle down your luggage at a later date if you need to. Remember that although bringing all your luxury items isn’t practical, packing a couple of sentimental items from home can be comforting if you ever get homesick. Creature comforts can also be excellent for helping you relax when it comes to your studies.
It may be easier to hire an international removal company to help transport your belongings overseas. It’s sensible to sort your items into heavy and light, this way, you can give the heavier items to the movers who have equipment to help them. Put the lighter and essential items in a rucksack for you to bring with you. The more you can carry with you, the cheaper shipping costs with the removal company.
Keep in mind that just because an item may be heavy, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s strong, so ensure you package anything which could break in bubble wrap and pad out the box with soft items or newspaper. Clearly label your box(es), including with whether they’re fragile and which way up the box should be carried. This will mean the removal service can deal with your belongings accordingly.
Accommodation
Find your student accommodation as soon as you can. This will not only ensure a place, but will reduce anxiety when it comes to moving. Different Universities and Colleges may vary with the amount of help they provide for you with student accommodation. However, they should be your first port of call when it comes to finding ‘digs’ abroad. They’ll know who’s reliable and can work around your student budget. If this isn’t an option, there are plenty of sites which can help you and give you advice. They can also recommend an international removal company that handles students and their belongings for a fair price.
Make friends
Try connecting with other students on your course, who are perhaps also moving from your country. As important as it is to make new friends and learn about your new home, having people who you can identify with from the outset can help you settle in. Use social networking, as well as message boards and forums to connect with people and meet up before the big move. This can really help to put you at ease about such a substantial change. However, keep in mind that meeting up with people you’ve only spoken to online can be dangerous, so make sure you bring a trusted friend or family member with you the first time you meet and encourage them to do the same.
