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Spending time abroad? This post is all about how the most common study abroad mistakes and how you can maximise your unique experience to make you stand out to employers, and develop as an individual.
These 3 common study abroad mistakes may be holding you back from realising your potential and maximising your time spent abroad! Get over these hurdles and you’re guaranteed to be making the most out of your unique experience.
You may be wondering if you are missing out on anything while studying abroad, well this post will help re-centre common mistakes that you may overlook or underestimate.
This article is designed to challenge your priorities and help you become the best version of yourself, so don’t feel overwhelmed if you’re guilty of all of these mistakes! The first step is recognition.
This post will inform you all about the most common study abroad mistakes most international students make.
The worst study abroad mistake you can make is not being persistent in speaking the language.
From an interpersonal perspective, the whole point of your year studying abroad is to engage inter-culturally, so this is a substantial disservice that you are doing to yourself.
I suggest writing down a few phrases that you use daily in your native language so that you can feel somewhat prepared. But honestly, the skill you need to improve is communicating something without having the adequate vocabulary.
The best way to practice this is note taking. Whatever you hear, whatever you read, write down what you understand from it rather than the exact words used.
My advice is don’t neglect or ignore your language proficiency, you need to put yourself out there every single day if you want to be confident in your ability to express yourself in the foreign language.
Ways you can overcome this timidity is setting out a minimum of 30 minutes to just read aloud in the host language. I would also suggest journaling in the host language so you actually practice articulating yourself as you usually would in your mother tongue.
This method gives you room to find words you didn’t know you would need and avoid simple structures – the more you do it the better you will get.
You can also just keep something on in the background whether or not you’re listening to it. Subconsciously you will be internalising the language structures and eventually pick up on it if you do it consistently enough.
It’s important to remember that you’re not there just for fun, you’re also there to improve your intercultural communication and competence.
Your lack of engagement with the language of your host culture can be viewed as culturally insensitive if you have the capacity to engage.
Speaking the language enriches your experience, your perspective, and the degree of employment desirability. So give it a go!
This leads me to having too many international friends, or friends from your own culture. Trust me, it’s much easier to find your own community when you’re in a capital city than when you’re in your home country.
In my experience, I saw all the British students hanging out with each other, which is not a bad thing, but you need to be intentional in forming friendships with the natives. And don’t fall for the trap if they kindly offer to speak English, that’s not why you’re there. Discipline is important when it comes to speaking the language.
You need to put yourself in the right situations, but you also need to adopt the right mindset. Don’t be overly self-critical, perfectionist, or unwilling to make mistakes. People will understand that you are learning and will give you grace.
You would be surprised at how easy it is to not improve in learning the language even though you’re living in the country. Intentionality is incredibly important when it comes to language learning.
Quick story time: I have a friend who studied accounting and finance, and he complained about how many international students who were studying the same degree (not exchange students) couldn’t communicate and it was their second year of uni!! He had to download WeChat so they could work on their group project and they weren’t able to convey what they wanted in English.
Most of these students go on to do a Masters but they can’t articulate themselves well in English. This just proves that if you lack intention, and are always around your own people, you’re stunting your growth.
For tips on making native friends while abroad, click this article below to learn these proven techniques:
How to Make Friends Abroad in 7 Easy Ways
Of course, if you are from an english speaking country going to another english speaking country, it’s the willingness to adopt their slang and be open minded to the way that they articulate themselves.
The biggest thief for you wouldn’t be that you’re too shy to speak the language, but instead too quick to judge. Comparison is the greatest thief so just be mindful of the differences, but of course, no one can ever be fully prepared for what life throws at them.
Articles below for further reading if you’re interested:
Not getting work experience is a study abroad mistake most people make. It’s taken for granted how it truly boosts your employability desirability. Many international students regret not getting work experience; yet those who have, never regret the sacrifice they made.
I wish I got work experience while I was in Paris, although I do recognise that it’s much harder to get this abroad, especially in France. The reason why I didn’t manage to was because at this stage in my life I had no idea what I wanted to do.
I tend to overthink things to the point of paralysis, so nothing moved, nothing changed. Don’t be like me lol.
Just get experience anywhere: receptionist roles, real estate; if push comes to shove, then hospitality or food.
Caveat: This is not inclusive of roles that aren’t relevant to your career. For example, getting a waitressing role is fine if you want to break into the food/catering industry, but it may not necessarily be respected if you’re trying to get into finance.
I am someone who always champions transferable skills, but if you can get something in a related company, then that’s better.
For example, getting a receptionist role in a luxury hotel if you want a role where high level organisational are valued or you’re trying to break into the luxury market.
However, any job could still be appreciated by employers if you’re looking at sales roles, but it’s better to just shoot for what you want than settling.
Having international work experience on your CV will make you more interesting to employers. Of course it’s all about how you sell yourself. Learn how to maximise your experience to prospective employers.
You are instantly more desirable because you can prove that you: are a good communicator, are adaptable in new environments, have intercultural problem solving skills.
The duration and level of immersion in your exposure in a new culture contribute to how confident and how well you can quickly adapt to new and unfamiliar environments.
If you can’t get paid experience, then offer your time for free. Employers like candidates who are insistent, don’t take no for an answer, and find any means to get what they want.
You can offer to work for 2-3 days a week for free, or ask for a 1 week unpaid internship. Approach them with what you would like to learn and gain from the experience. If they don’t respond to your email, visit them in person.
One of my friend’s told me a story about how someone she knew went into the physical office after sending her application. She asked to speak with HR, I’m not sure what the content of their conversation was. But after she had made herself known, apparently, they employed her.
Make yourself stand out to employers in your host country by being determined and willing to be bold enough to take the opportunity.
Be as specific as possible, and if you are still in an uncertain stage (don’t worry) choose one skill you want to improve and market yourself that way to employers.
Capitalise on your youth by showing them you’re bold and eager to learn.
Now, if you are struggling to get relevant experience in the industry, I would suggest volunteering or joining a university society. These are also viable solutions as it shows that you are getting some sort of professional interpersonal experience with people in a different culture.
If push comes comes to shove and you simply cannot find any experience, then just focus on building your professional network.
If you had other means or methods to attend networking sessions abroad then obviously follow that avenue. For those who do not, Eventbrite is the best way to get started. It was through Eventbrite that I managed to go to a networking event hosted by the Financial Times (in my home country).
This was one of my main study abroad mistakes, I wasn’t strategic enough to do this while in Paris but this is one of the best ways to find a mentor because most people at networking events are there to help! So use the help!
Amazon also hold networking events called ‘Ladies that Launch’ and their Summit that holds every spring. You should look into networking sessions held by these mammoth organisations as a way to expand your network. Networking is a valuable lifelong skill that will get you far when you are connected with the right people.
Even if you decide not to join one yourself, you can attend networking sessions held by your university and other university societies.
I have attended many of these programs, which have helped me grow in my professional confidence. There are some notable companies like BrightNetwork, SEO, Upreach that are curated to help you in your self-development and career journey. However, finding companies like these in your host country can be difficult.
Keep an eye out for a potential careers fair held by your uni to find these charities at their stand.
Programs like these are useful because it’s through these events where you can find out about more charities that do the same thing. This is more for your confidence than anything else.
The more of these programs/events that you attend, the more you’ll understand what people are looking for professionally.
See below on more articles on employer’s opinions of work experience abroad:
What Do Employers Think of International Experience? | Go Overseas
This is one of the worst study abroad mistakes that you can make because this mistake often impacts your experience and your mental health. Being too hard on yourself can cause you to spiral especially when you’re not around your support system. Self-compassion is crucial to enjoying your time spent abroad and fighting any blues that may come with it.
I’m a recovering perfectionist which means that I’m learning that done is better than perfect. I would always be stalled by the need to do things the ‘right’ way, but I didn’t even really know what that looked like. It just didn’t seem to look like the way I was doing it.
Self-compassion is a critical skill to have, especially in language learning. It will humble you to the point where self-compassion is the only way you can keep going forward.
If you’re studying abroad the entire year, don’t study too much (unless it counts to your final year grade). Allow yourself to enjoy your host culture, embrace intercultural integration. That’s why you’re there!
It’s also important to remember that qualifications are no longer enough nowadays. Soft skills, interpersonal skills, adaptability and flexibility hold just as much importance now.
Cut yourself some slack if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Slowly integrate their habits into your daily routines to eliminate any imposter syndrome or homesickness that you may be feeling.
Accountability partners are underrated tools of self-development. They’re so important because they hold you to your word and make sure you have integrity towards yourself. It can be overlooked how often we may not keep our word to ourselves but we may do so for other people.
Having an accountability partner to challenge your thought processes may help you see outside of yourself and your perspective. Invite new perspectives in your life to help re-centre your worldview and therefore your expectations.
Journalling may help with identifying patterns that keep you stuck. Once you’re aware of what triggers your problem-trait, it may be easier to battle it because you can fight it with logic (assuming that you’re logical).
Use ChatGPT or any form of research tool to create prompts for you to tackle this pattern. But it requires intentionality. You can’t be passive when your default is lack of self-compassion.
This technique requires persistence and regular systematic reviews. Use this method to dismantle poor and build new, more effective systems.
Express gratitude! Gratitude heals the soul. It brings joy in the little things which compounds into an overflow of peace. Sounds corny but it’s true.
Taking things for granted makes you overlook the effort it took to create the little things which actually have more deep-rooted impact in your life than you may be aware. A lot of great things are the compounded result of little, mundane tasks that contribute to that monumental outcome. Awfully vague.
For example, Adam Smith (Capitalism, yikes!) uses the example of creating a pin. By dividing the labour, into smaller, more attainable tasks like assigning sharpening the pin to one team and packaging the pin to another, we are contributing to the finished product of an essential but seemingly overlooked tool such as the pin.
Essentially: the little things also require attention, because it’s through these signs that the ultimate outcome is revealed.
See below a list of further reading on how to help:
How Perfectionism Keeps You Stuck, And How to Stop Letting it Hold You Back.
7 Steps to Breaking the ‘Perfectionism, Procrastination, Paralysis’ Cycle
Don’t be your greatest obstacle – easier said than done, I know.
In all, what’s important is that you keep learning, not just academically but professionally, personally, and socially. This list is by no means an exhaustive list on how you can ensure a smooth experience, but also, there is no such thing as a smooth experience.
Life throws what it wants at you. But, I hope that you implement at least one tip in your experience because I definitely wish I had.
If you’re looking for more ways to maximise your time abroad, here’s a great article below:
3 Secret Tips Your University Is Hiding About Studying Abroad in Europe
This post was all about the most common study abroad mistakes everybody makes, supported by the best tips, tricks, and methods to avoid and overcome them.
A passionate and creative female blogger who is navigating living in the city in her 20s
