Entering college for the first time can be both scary and exciting. What more if you’re an international student and this is your first time living abroad alone? It is easy to pick up habits other local students have that are often bad for your health and sanity. If you are not careful, you can end up losing your focus and start living an unhealthy lifestyle. Thankfully, there are a few things you can tackle to ensure your health and wellness even as an international student.
Sort out Your Finances
Many international students find themselves struggling with a limited budget. If you ever find yourself in a hot financial mess, you will find it hard to concentrate on your studies. You can end up depriving yourself of your needs and the stress will make everything harder for you.
This is why it is crucial that you learn how to effectively manage your finances. Learn how to save and reduce your expenses. Don’t indulge in things you don’t need and do your research before you spend a considerable amount of money.
Create a student budget that will cover your ongoing expenses. If you are receiving extra funding, chose to save a portion of these. You can use these for emergency purposes so you won’t have a hard time thinking about where you can get the funds to cover unexpected expenses.
Find a Safe and Affordable Accommodation
Every student needs to find a safe place to stay while studying. You have the option to stay in your university’s dormitory or off-campus. If you are a bit short on budget, living off-campus can help you save more in the process.
Where you will be living during this time can influence your studies and your overall university experience. You want to make sure you find the right place to stay so you can keep up with your studies. Where you will be staying can also dictate whether or not you can continue living a comfortable and healthy lifestyle.
It can be tricky to find safe and affordable accommodation. But with due research, you can find one that is safe, is in a convenient location, and fits your budget. Consider all the fees involved in the rent along with your living expenses and plan your budget.
Research About Your Food and Drinks Options
Many international students fail to do their research on their available food and drink options. You want to make sure you can find places where you can eat healthily and can satisfy your palate. Since you will be staying abroad to study for a while, you need to make sure you can maintain a diet that is healthy, invigorating, and will give you enough energy to get through each day.
You may find restaurants serving your local dishes. But this can be costly if you choose to constantly order take out. It pays to try out the local dishes, check which food items and drinks are healthy and how much you can safely consume.
Many students would start drinking coffee and energy drinks after getting into college. This is their attempt to get their necessary fuel to get through long hours of studying. But even if caffeine can offer many benefits, too much of this good thing can be bad for your health.
Other students would prefer fast food as a convenient way to fill themselves for the day. It is crucial that you do your research and ensure that you are eating no more than the recommended daily calorie intake.
Plan Your Day Ahead
It is easy to get lost in your busy student schedule. With all the things you need to finish, you might not have enough energy to exercise and burn those extra calories you eat each day. This is why it is crucial that you plan your day ahead and find ways to squeeze in exercise whenever you can.
As much as possible, choose to walk and use the stairs or ramp. If you have no time to hit the gym, find other ways to get your daily dose of exercise. Find yourself a jogging buddy and enjoy quick runs in nature.
Ensure you get enough quality sleep each day. Avoid procrastinating so you can finish everything on your schedule on time. Choose to work on your projects and maintain a regular studying schedule so you can have more time to rest and sleep.
International students will face different challenges while studying abroad. These can be enough for one to indulge in unhealthy habits. The stress that comes with studying in a university and in abroad can be enough to shake your sanity. You can use these simple tips so you can keep yourself healthy and your sanity at bay.
