1. You will find hidden abilities about yourself

Studying abroad is a great opportunity for you to discover abilities that you have never realized you had before. Maybe finding new places or some other hidden skill but you surely will unearth something amazing about yourself.

2. You can manage your tasks without help from your parents or anyone else

You will realize that you are able to manage a lot of things on your own without help from anyone else: things like doing the laundry or washing dishes, paying bills or tidying your room, all is left to you alone.

3. You do not need a fashion wardrobe to dress decently

It is not practical to carry a load full of clothes whenever you are travelling around; so having multiple changes of clothes is not practical, neither is it required. So, you will learn to live with minimum clothes and still look trendy.

4. Study is not the most important part of overseas education

One thing about study abroad is it is not mainly about study, book and assignments only. You are in a new place, new environment and culture… So, there are numerous things to learn and experience outside of the class. So make full use of it and learn more.

5. You will make friends with people you never expected you ever would have

Travelling and being in an alien environment is a great situation for us to be out of our comfort zone and be vulnerable to strangers and know that strangers are good people too… So, study abroad gives you a lot of opportunities to experience the goodness in people you’ve never met or had anything to do before. They will come to your help in most unimaginable of places and situation.

6. People in general are kind and helpful

As I mentioned in the point before this, you will come across strangers and realize that people are generally kind and helpful.

7. Standing in the queue at public places is important

If you are from India, where being part of the mob is more important than being part of the queue, it is not the case in most western countries. They consider coming up for anything their primary duty, whether it is for the train, bus or movie tickets or buying coffee in a store. So you better fall in line or you will have a mob coming against you.

8. You will not find things that you have got used to very easily

In your home country you may have got used to certain products or certain tastes. You may not get the same products or even if you get the same products, you may not get the same taste in those brands if it is a food item or you will not have the same feeling about the brand. So, get used to the difference or carry the load of it from your home.

9. You may feel lonely and homesick

It is absolutely natural and almost investable that you will on some occasion or the other fell lonely or homesick and would want to come back to your mamma. But I advise you to hold on to your horses and rather make an attempt to mix and mingle with your friends and classmates or just talk to someone who can understand. The feeling will pass away.

10. Paperwork is extensive and complex

Studying abroad may sound smooth and like a fairy tale, but you will soon realise that you are filling forms for something or the other. The permissions and red tape are prevalent everywhere. So be ready for the task, at least for initial few days. It sometimes can be complex, so be very careful when you fill it and ask doubts if any.

11. Nuances of the language and accent can be confusing and frustrating:

Being in a new culture and place has its own challenges, and language is one of them. Even if you go to an English speaking country the dialects and the local nuances of the language can be quite confusing and amusing. Sometimes you may be a focus of their jokes but take it easy. Slowly learn the colloquial phrases and slangs and you will be better off with knowing them.

12. You will be tired and frustrated with answering the same questions

Since you are in an alien place you will have a lot of curious people asking a lot of questions about you; and most of the time you will have many people asking the same questions hundreds of times but do not lose your peace, just relax and answer them in a friendly manner. It is a great way to build bonds and develop friendships.

13. It is not always good to convert everything into your home country currency

There is no denying, anyone who goes abroad will count in their native currency, especially if you are an Indian. We like to account for every dime (Paisa) we spend and lose consciousness when the rate of something is compared to the rate at home. So, please be reasonable, converting everything into rupees is not the wisest thing to do. You will only live like a pauper and miser.

14. Emphasis on the areas of study and grading system will be different

In India, the emphasis is given a lot to memorizing and rote learning that may not be the case in the country you are going to. The emphasis there may be research and presentations. Also, the way the criteria for grading you will be different from how they grade you in India. So, keep those things in mind and perform accordingly if you want to do well.

15. Your previously held beliefs and ideas will come to question

There is no doubt about it, many of your beliefs will be shaken and a lot your ideas will come to be questioned. So, do not lose your sanity and think rationally and spend time reflecting and recalibrating and reassessing your beliefs and ideas. You will surely come out as a better and mature person.