Arcadia England

We hope you’ve had a wonderful time so far and are settling into the UK well. If you’re not having a wonderful time - you may be feeling homesick, overwhelmed or anxious - then I promise you are not alone. These are normal reactions to dealing with new places and experiences, and although they can feel all-encompassing, they do normally pass. Below are a few tips that you may find helpful as you continue to settle in:

• Don’t be hard on yourself or set yourself unrealistic expectations. At home, things don’t go perfectly all of the time - you will have bad days, sad days and frustrating days! That is going to be the same in the UK. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not having a great time all of the time. With that in mind…
• Set yourself realistic challenges. You may not feel confident immediately jetting off to another European country or even travelling across the UK, but why do you need to? You’re studying in London: set yourself a new task every day or few days - is the British Museum on your bucket list? Have you always wanted to climb the Monument or visit Kew Gardens? Now is the time! Venture a little further each time, and you will pack in far more to your study abroad experience than you realise! Don’t kick yourself for the things you DON’T do, instead enjoy the things you do!

• Try not to change your routine too much. If there were things that you did at home that contributed to you feeling good, like, for example, going running or swimming, spending time alone or eating certain foods, then make sure you do this in the UK too. London is a very diverse city, and you will always be able to find somewhere to work out or buy the food you like (except proper mac ‘n’ cheese. We’re still working on that one…)

• Make time for YOU. A lot of people feel a lot of pressure to spend time with other people when they first study abroad, and worry that if they spend any time alone they will lose the opportunity to forge friendships. But, if you are someone that needs a bit of space, you will be a better person to spend time with if you are not secretly craving time alone! Learn to strike the right balance between being with others and giving yourself some YOU time. This may take some trial and error, but it’s worth it!

• Stick to your care plan! If you have been seeing a therapist back home, see if you can arrange to see someone in the UK. If you are taking medication, don’t stop taking it or change the dose without seeking medical advice first. If you think your medication isn’t working, talk to a professional to see if you need to change or adjust your medication.

• Make the most of all the support available at Arcadia. Talk to your PA or a member of Student Life. They can help you to seek additional support in the form of counselling or medical care through your ISOS insurance.

• Be mindful of others. Make sure you observe the quiet hours and clean up after yourself in the kitchen - basically, be a good roommate! One of the most common causes of stress at university is flatmate disagreements...and sometimes the flatmates responsible are not even aware of it, as people are reluctant to upset one another by mentioning things that are upsetting them! Listen to your flatmates if they have any concerns, and be respectful of others and mindful that they may have different expectations from you. 

• I know you’ve heard this already, but remember that part of being independent is learning when to be dependent! All of us are dependent on others for some things every single day - if we’re sick, we visit the doctor; if we have a toothache, we go to the dentist. If you are not feeling great, you don’t have to struggle alone - follow the advice above and reach out to us. 

Last Tuesday was actually World Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide is often an uncomfortable subject we don’t like to talk about, but we should, because it’s a leading cause of death among younger men in particular. Look out for your friends, and if you have any concerns about anyone, even if you think these are very minor, reach out to a member of staff for help.