CIS Abroad Blog

How I Navigated Study Abroad as a Person with Anxiety

Studying abroad is no easy task, especially for those that may struggle with general anxiety. It’s an amazing adventure, but it’s one that requires you to jump outside of your comfort zone almost every day, at least in the beginning. This is something that is extremely challenging for anxious people like myself. It’s scary having to leave the comfort of your home friend group, your family, and the familiarity of your home school.

Traveling abroad all on your own, you have to meet so many new people, make completely new friends, and maybe even figure out how to live alongside a new family. These aspects of study abroad can make or break the whole experience. Going into this new experience, I was honestly horrified. Part of me wanted to back out, but I knew I had to do it or else I would regret it for the rest of my life. This was my way of breaking out of the box I placed myself in due to my fears.

Costa Rica SPRING 2025- Farewell Dinner

My biggest fear was not making friends, that I would keep to myself as always and stay in the shadows of the group I was going abroad with. Another fear was that I wouldn’t take advantage of my new location, not branching out and exploring. New experiences have always been hard for me.

The unknown is scary for many people, and the fear of it can sometimes hold us back from possible experiences that could change our lives. I didn’t want my fears to hold me back. I was determined to make the most of studying abroad without my anxiety restraining me. I would like to share some tips that I found helped me break out of my shell, allowing me to have more fun and experience more things.

1. Take advantage of your common interests through your classes

Costa Rica SPRING 2025- First Activity

Once you arrive at your new location, the first thing most people will try to do is make friends. This can be quite intimidating to do for some. Based on my experience, there’s a good chance you will get the opportunity to talk to a lot of people since they’re all looking for new friends. Even so, it can be hard to form connections. This leads to my first tip. Take advantage of your common interests through your classes.

Since you and your classmates most likely all chose your classes yourselves, that means there’s a good chance there are some common interests. There might even be similarities in majors. Start off by talking about topics to do with the class material, or anything related. This can form baseline relationships with people. It can familiarize you with the people around you that you will be spending potentially the next few months with. You might even click with some of them, being able to move past small talk to stronger topics.

2. Explore with friends

Monkeys in Manuel AntonioGetting to know your peers might prove to be a difficult challenge. I personally found it hard to find time before, during, or after class to talk to my classmates. By far the best way I got to know my new friends was by exploring the city with them. Maybe there’s this restaurant you passed by walking to school, why not ask some classmates to go to lunch there with you? There could possibly be some museums or historical monuments that you want to visit during your time abroad. Ask some peers if they’d like to come with you!

There doesn’t necessarily have to be some exciting place to go to, maybe you would just like to wander the area and explore. Do it with some friends! (Travelling around in numbers is usually safer anyway.) Having a foundation for hanging out with people makes getting to know them all the more easier. There’s less room for awkward silences, as well as an established topic to talk about, especially if you're visiting a museum or something similar.

3. Start small by traveling with others

It can be scary being in a completely new place all on your own. You might find yourself wanting to stay at home as much as possible. My tip for this problem relates to my previous one. Start small by travelling around with others! Personally, I find it less scary going to new places with other people. It can break the ice in terms of your familiarity with your new location and can build your confidence in going to new places. One of my goals during the semester abroad was to become more confident in my independence. Going around the city with friends first definitely helped build my courage. I finally forced myself to go to new places on my own, and I found that it wasn’t so bad after I broke that initial barrier.

Arenal Volcano

4. Take time to rest!

My final tip is arguably the most important one. Take time to rest! Sometimes during my time abroad, it felt like I never got a break. I was constantly running around and doing things. I had school work, classes, field trips, personal trips, etc. This in and of itself built up a lot of anxious feelings, with my mind racing all over the place constantly. The only thing I found that helped calm me down when I found myself tipping over the edge was taking time to myself to rest and recuperate. Read a good book, journal, watch your favorite show, watch a movie with some home friends online, or even just take a nap! These down time moments are precious while you are abroad because I personally found that I did not get a lot of them.

Catarata Esmeralda Uvita

Make sure you set time aside for yourself to relax, it is extremely important. These tips helped me greatly during my time abroad and helped me move past my anxiety surrounding my new experiences. Forcing myself out of my comfort zone was very difficult, but it proved to be incredibly worth it. I made a lot of new friends and visited a lot of new places inside and outside of the city I was studying in.

This is an experience I will never forget and I am eternally grateful I had the courage to do it. And remember, if you decide to study abroad, give yourself some credit. It is no easy feat. You got yourself there and had the bravery to do it. You are not your anxiety, don’t let it hold you back. Have fun traveling!

 

Blog by Sam Graves, University of Maine - Orono, Semester in Costa Rica

Hear what students, interns, and alumni have to say
BOLDLY COMMITTED to providing the best experiences abroad
While studying in Tokyo for a semester, I aimed to live by the quote: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Because of that, I have gotten to experience incredibly fascinating things and meet amazing people. Tokyo almost feels like a second home to me now. I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to have experienced the beauty of Japan and its rich culture.
Kenae Turner
Elizabeth City State University

Based on personal experience from my home university, Australia does not tend to be a popular destination for study abroad, likely due to its distance. However, I am extremely grateful I made the decision to come here. The geographical diversity, numerous cultural representations, and major cities so close to nature make Australia a truly unique and unforgettable country. Spending three and a half months here will be an experience I treasure for the rest of my life.

Joshua Grossman
Coastal Carolina University
CIS provided a brilliant network of people so I never felt alone, and everyday was a new adventure. I got to explore a place completely different from anything I could have imagined. It was challenging navigating a new culture, a language I didn't know completely, and a new environment, but that was the beauty of it all. No one goes abroad searching for comfort, but you learn that comfort can be found anywhere, if you know how to look.
Alisa Geise
Virginia Commonwealth University
Studying abroad has allowed me to grow as a person. I have conquered fears, experienced new things, tried new foods, and met wonderful people who helped make my experience unforgettable. I am more confident in myself and the person that I want to be in the future.
Ashlyn Holmes
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Studying abroad in London has been an experience I will never forget. Living in a new country is something I think everyone should experience in their life. I've made so many new life long friendships I never would have unless I came here. I've also grown so much as a person and become more independent. The CIS team has been so supportive during the whole process. From applying to my program to arriving on campus in London. My site directors have been so helpful and supportive answering any questions I have. The social program activities were amazing and helped me see a different side of London than I would have without it. I will never forget this experience; it really has changed me for the better.
Katlynn Orloski
Michigan State University
Studying abroad changed my life in all of the best ways and CIS Abroad made it all happen!! Through CIS, I was able to make my first friends and integrate into the culture way easier than I would have on my own.
Amy Zochalski
Valparaiso University
My time abroad has been the most eye opening journey and I’m a more independent person because of it. I’m so grateful for all the experiences, friends, and memories I’ve made along the way!
Unlike many people on this trip who come with the intention of being a tourist, I feel like I had a different goal. I wanted to rediscover my culture and where I belonged. Being a hafu living in America and not fluent in Japanese, I was never really able to get in touch with my Japanese heritage. This trip completely changed that and I now have a goal of one day living in Japan for the rest of my life.
Dean Handler
University of Central Florida
The CIS program was truly a one of a kind experience. I was able to meet many students from all across America, attend several events (such as food tours or a trip to Kyoto), and make many friends. I would not trade it for anything. I am thankful I decided to study with CIS Abroad. Before this, I was thinking about just plowing through my degree, getting my master's and PhD, and immediately entering society. However, this experience changed my life. Through meeting many people from many places, and living in a new area for an extended period of time, my view of my own philosophies, culture and place of living, changed. This would not have happened if I stayed in the States. I would say if you are able to go, you should go. There is no time like the present.
Lexington Whalen
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Studying abroad in Japan was lifechanging! Embracing a rich culture, forging international friendships, and gaining valuable insights broadened my perspective, fostering personal growth and unforgettable memories.
Bricen Williams
West Texas A&M University
I knew I wanted to study abroad, particularly in Japan, because it was on my bucket list. Thanks to CIS, I was able to go to Tokyo! Even now, it is surreal to me that I got to go! I can't put it into words how much fun I had in Tokyo. I enjoyed every second of my time there, from walking around the bustling streets of Shibuya and Shinjuku, to going to class, eating delicious Japanese cuisine, and even going to the convenience store. Even the simplest things were incredibly fun to me. I was initially anxious about being homesick, my Japanese skills and traveling alone, but I'm happy to say that I very quickly made lovely, lifelong friends and was met with nothing but kindness from the locals. I learned not to let my worries get in the way of an opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you, CIS Abroad. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to go to Tokyo.
Sada Chaudhury
Hunter College
During my time in Costa Rica, I took Intermediate Conversation and Cultural Photography at Veritas University. I really enjoyed how relaxed the classes were and how the teachers taught us not only Spanish, but also culture and day-to-day life. I was also involved in the biology lab here (BIOMOL) and had fun doing some lab work every week. I got to explore multiple places with my program, such as Manuel Antonio, Curubandé, and Jaco. I went surfing for the first time and got to hike some amazing trails. I highly recommend traveling to Costa Rica for study abroad; it is a beautiful country with beautiful people and memories to make!
Lauren Adams
William Woods University
I took Spanish for Healthcare Professionals and Conflict Resolution & Healthcare at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. I really enjoyed how interactive my elective class was; the students often led the class by doing presentations on various topics. We also had a field trip to the local school. My favorite part of the study abroad experience was all the weekend trips. It was awesome to see so many different places in the country. My favorite trip was to Tamarindo and Curubande where I got to take a surf lesson and hike to waterfalls.
Faith Johnson
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
This past month I spent my time studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy with CIS Abroad. The opportunity of being able to study in Italy was a dream come true! From my peers in the program to Frankie and Kayla, everyone has been so open and welcoming. CIS has done any amazing job making sure I felt prepared for my travels and was available to answer my many questions. Without CIS, this opportunity would have seemed like a dream, but they helped me turn it into a reality. I have met some amazing friends and grown into a better person during my time in Sorrento!
Alana Bergin
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
I’ve always wanted to study abroad, even though I was initially very nervous since I had never been over seas before. But even my imagination could never have dreamed of the amazing things I got to see and experience while abroad. I didn’t get to just see all these new places but studying abroad allowed me to have the time to fully submerge myself into so many different cultures. I’ll never forget my time over here and I will forever be grateful I was able to experience studying abroad!
Mary Claire Vaughan
University of Alabama -Tuscaloosa
CIS Abroad planned a trip for our group to Orvieto for a weekend. It was one of my favorite things I have done so far. We got to make pasta dough and fully immerse ourselves in Italian family home culture.
Summer Megnia
University of Massachusetts Amherst
I had the opportunity to work with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center in Thailand as a veterinary assistant this semester. Their facility here is funded by the royal family of Thailand and is a rehabilitation center for turtles who have become displaced, injured or are in need of surgical procedures (most commonly abscess removals). Thailand is home to 5 of the 7 species of sea turtles: the Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Green, Loggerhead, and Leatherback! I was lucky enough to perform blood-draws, give injections, restrain, do a series of radiographs, calculate drug doses and assist in an abscess removal during my time here so needless to say I am having a blast and learning lots.
Scout Aulenbach
Berry College
My Drawing on Location class spends most of our class time outside, learning about local history and drawing our environments, rather than staying in a classroom. My marine biology class took us on a field trip to a turtle rescue center, where we learned about their processes in caring for injured turtles. 
Hannah Chan
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
CIS Abroad allowed me the opportunity to explore new places and ideas, and make some great friends at the same time! I really enjoyed my time in Japan as it let me explore both new and old aspects of Japanese culture.
Mads Muraoka
Berry College
This was the experience of a lifetime being able to spend a semester in Rome. I’ve had the opportunity to be exposed to many new things, travel to new places, and make lifelong friends!
Corrine Drew
Kean University