5 Things You Should Know Before Studying Abroad

Hello! My name is Moira, and I am a 4th-year psychology major at West Chester University. I studied abroad in 2025 in Limerick, Ireland, at the University of Limerick. I had a wonderful time there and was very supported all the way through. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help others prepare for and enjoy their own study abroad experience. Here are the five things I think everyone should know before studying abroad.

1. Be kind to yourself, especially the first week.

It is very tough living away from home; it comes with lots of obstacles, like new time zones, new currencies, and potentially even a new language. While you will be amazed at how fast you will adjust to your new surroundings, even the best of us need time to process. I say a week in this post, but it is totally dependent on you and your personality. It may take you a week or even a month to fully adjust, and that’s okay! Don’t be afraid to lean on your support network for help and even your roommates (yes, you heard me right). Talking with your roommates can help a ton during this time since you are all living away from home (potentially even for the first time), and discussing that shared experience can help alleviate some of your stress. I know it helped me a ton when I first arrived!

2. Don’t limit yourself when it comes to your social circle.

I know when you're planning your study abroad you're thinking that most of the people at your chosen university will be from said country, and while that is typically the case, a lot of international universities will have a diverse student body or even an Erasmus program (essentially an E.U. Study Abroad), which means you have a chance most Americans don’t get, to meet people from countries you’ve never been to, or are not familiar with. It is a great opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures, and it’s probably something you haven’t even considered. While it is great to enjoy the local culture, and I did have an amazing time exploring Ireland while I was there, it is also a great time to expand your social circle and embrace the cultural diversity your university has to offer.

3. Take lots of photos!

I know you're probably thinking that you don’t really need this reminder, after all, who doesn’t love some good Instagram travel photos? I know I do, and while I don’t struggle to remember to take pictures of beautiful scenery, I will forget to take pictures of my friends and myself, even though those photos are way more valuable than a perfect scenery shot. Photos of beautiful scenery are great and can help you visualize where you were when you took them, but the ones you'll revisit most when you're back home will be the ones documenting your journey and all the amazing people you met along the way. Even now, after a couple of months back, I still get emotional looking back at my old photos, and I can’t help but feel like I should have taken way more.

4. Make time to travel around.

I know this seems like a no-brainer, I mean, you went on a study abroad to travel, right? But you would be surprised how quickly you get absorbed in your academic life at your university and how things like travelling can fall towards the back burner. Luckily, I was able to travel around a decent bit while in Ireland, but if I had budgeted my time better, I could have seen even more places and gone on more trips with my roommates and friends. It’s important to keep in mind that you are not only there to study, but also to have a cultural experience, so make time when you can and use it wisely.

5. Embrace new experiences.

I know people say that studying abroad will change your life. I know I did an eyeroll or two when people told me this, but they were right. I am not a completely different person by any means, I still have some of the same flaws I left with and I did not magically become a better person through studying abroad, but it did make the world seem much bigger than it felt when I was in my own little corner of it, in a way that it just didn’t when I was travelling and only staying in places for brief periods. A large part of this was the people I met through clubs and activities.

I joined a total of three clubs while at the University of Limerick, and they were all clubs I just did not have access to back home, like Archery, Rowing, and a Hiking club. I also went to a lot of school events hosted by UL, and they were great for helping me get out of my shell. It was the perfect environment to grow and change as a person, and I am so glad I said yes to doing things out of my comfort zone. I would highly recommend that anyone studying abroad take it as an opportunity to experiment, try new things, and embrace the spirit of adventure that studying abroad naturally brings. 

Blog by Moira Carroll, West Chester University of Pennsylvania