How to Build A Support System While Studying Abroad?

Posted on: Mar 26, 2025 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

How to Build A Support System While Studying Abroad?

Studying abroad can be an excellent opportunity for personal and professional growth. On the academic front, you'll be putting in your best efforts to get known. Going to study abroad is also the time when you will be moving away from your friends and family. This can often get lonely.

Being lonely abroad while also managing your academics can be a significant challenge. Moreover, when you're new to a country, you will have to stand in the front to embrace a lot of changes. So, before you move abroad, you must buy travel insurance online. This insurance is going to protect you in your journey against any major mishaps.

Common Stress Factors Experienced By Students Studying Abroad

International students have to experience transition when they move out from the comfort of their homes to abroad. This can often prove to be a challenge for many. Here are some of the common stress factors that the students experience when they're studying abroad:

1. Cultural shock:

When the student moves to a new destination, they get a huge cultural shock. This is usually when they have to navigate adulthood. Moreover, in non-English speaking countries, adjusting can be more difficult for the students.

2. Financial and Academic Pressures:

In the initial stages, some of the students also experience financial and academic pressures because of a non-familiar academic environment that doesn't suit their course structure or style.

3. Homesickness:

While managing their study abroad, the students also have to deal with homesickness. This can often hamper their daily activity and prevent them from focusing on getting the job done.

They must consider getting travel insurance for students at discounted rates. The insurance will allow the students to move to different places when they're feeling low or go for a ride. This can often play an important role in improving their overall mood.

Why is a Support System Essential While Studying Abroad?

Studying abroad means stepping into a completely unknown boundary. Forming a support system often makes the student feel heard and acts as a source of emotional security. The support system also allows the students to overcome cultural shocks and embrace the new culture.

Communities also come together to reduce stress in students. They also invite the students to participate in different activities wherein they can feel more appreciated and offer a great experience. As the students feel more included, they are likely to get over homesickness as well. This can be extremely beneficial, especially in terms of ensuring that students can focus on their studies only.

How to Form a Support Group While Studying Abroad?

Forming a support group while studying abroad for many students can feel like a home away from home. As students, you can have fun with them, study with them, and even go out with them. However, while travelling, make sure that you buy travel insurance online and secure your trip.

As for forming a support group, if you're new and feeling like a fish out of the fishbowl, here are some of the tips that might help:

1. Embrace Cultural Difference

The first thing you need to do while studying abroad is accept the cultural differences. Understanding the local cultures and appreciating them can help you get along well. Moreover, when you know the social norms, you can feel more connected.

Learning the language can be a great icebreaker. It paves the way for you to interact with the people. Furthermore, you can also participate in cultural events like holidays and local festivals. You can meet people in a more relaxed setting and understand them better.

2. Participate with Local Communities

You can participate in local community events with other expatriates. You can interact by sharing cultures, information, and what distinguishes each other. When you sit and talk with people, you will feel welcomed and in a more comfortable environment.

Moreover, participating and volunteering with the local communities can help you form stronger connections away from home. International travel insurance can be your safety net while you're participating in these events in case anything goes wrong. Thus, you will feel more confident in taking part in other activities beyond academic ones.

3. Use Social Media Apps

Social media and mobile apps can help you connect with the local people. When you're moving abroad for your studies, you may feel like you're alone. However, when you join these social media platforms, you can connect with people. For example, you can meet new students and other travellers.

Facebook has specific groups dedicated to travellers and international students. Here, you can interact with them, ask questions, and even arrange meetups. Now, if you are to participate in any such activity, make sure to have your travel insurance for students with you. Apart from these Facebook groups, you can also use networking apps to find people and attend events with people who share similar interests.

4. Live in a Shared Accommodation

If your school or university doesn't have an accommodation option, you may often struggle with where to live. Well, various shared accommodations are available that welcome international students. These are dormitories, homestays, and shared apartments. You can start staying in these to improve your social experience.

Several local and other international students also live in these shared accommodations. Therefore, you will have the option to bond with them and interact. If you are more of an easy-adjusting type, you can stay in dormitories or shared apartments. However, if you want a bit of privacy, you may move into a homestay.

5. Be a Part of a Sports Team

Participating in sports can be one of the best ways to keep yourself occupied and make new friends. Often, when you're sitting alone a lot, a train of negative thoughts can come. However, if you take a fitness class or join a gym, you will have a better environment for socialising with others.

Several universities offer the option of intramural sports for international students to help them feel welcomed. You can also join dance, yoga, and martial arts classes where you can meet people with similar interests. Such friendships can often go beyond the fitness classes and lead to long-term friendships.

6. Talk To Your Friends and Family Back Home

Building your network abroad can be helpful; however, sometimes anxiety can kick in. It can initially feel as if it is difficult to manage the emotions. Therefore, you must try talking to someone from back home. They understand you and your struggles and can help you manage your feelings.

You must talk to them weekly or bi-weekly. Holding regular discussion sessions with your friends and family can be extremely beneficial in the long run. You can write emails and letters too.

7. Be Welcome to the Changes

If you want to build strong friendships abroad, you need to have an open mind and welcome the change. You can always take a step ahead, move out of your comfort zone, and initiate conversations.

Starting conversations with new people by introducing yourself can be an icebreaker. It shows that you have a genuine interest and can end up making long-term connections. Moreover, you can also put an effort into follow-up, such as an invitation to coffee or attending any event together.

Conclusion

Making friends or a support group abroad can seem difficult, but it is not. All you need to do is just move out of your comfort zone a little. You can get your international travel insurance before you move to any of the places for further studies. The insurance will act as a safety net while you still adjust to the new destination. Once you're settled, go ahead and form some genuine connections globally that can help you with your studies abroad.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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