Once you have moved to a new country, it is equal parts of exhilarating and scary. You never realize how strongly tied you’re to your home culture until you move abroad and are faced with a culture, sometimes a language, that is different than your own. Even though your host university will do it’s best to make you feel at home, there are certain things to keep in mind to help you adjust better.

A successful start to your academic course in your new college can start from getting to know your host college and university campus. All universities organize orientation programs and courses in the first few weeks of the academic session, designed to help students break the ice and understand the rules and regulations of the university. For courses in which accommodation is provided within campus, there are additional set of guidelines to be followed by the newly enrolled students for allocation of rooms.

Once you have your accommodation in the new country finalized and are settled in. The next thing to do is, focus on the thing that you came here for, your academic degree:

• Visit your academic office once you reach the university and find out more about when the orientation program begins and obtain class schedules.

• Pick up information brochures and booklets if provided, to carry as reading material once you’re back in the room. It is always good to educate yourself beforehand to have a better understanding of the functioning of the university.

• The education system differs from one country to another. Be open to new set of procedures and different grading system from that you were previously aware of. Also, do not hesitate to ask doubts in a nice and polite manner in case of any queries about the guidelines provided.

• Make sure you understand the class schedules as handed out to you for the first month and/or first week of your course. As well as know the professors who will be conducting the classes.

• During your orientation program, the college will provide you with a layout of the university campus, making it easier for you get around the location. Keep a look out for signage around the campus as well, for you to be able to remember the directions to various campus buildings.

• For the Indian students who moved abroad for studies for the first time; the nature of the classes conducted may differ from what it is in India. Different courses of your program can be conducted in separate classrooms, lecture halls. Be open to moving around and always be equipped with a handy bag pack.

• Find out more about the student volunteer programs and various communities within the university. Student organizations are a great way to meet more people who share similar interests as you.

Some countries have a reputation for disliking foreigners, but this is largely untrue. The locals are people just like you, and they’re often happy to chat with people and make new friends. While you should observe the usual courtesies when meeting new people, don’t be afraid to say hello to a stranger and get to know some interesting new contacts.