Study Ireland – Stories & Guides from International Students

In this piece, Mónica Sánchez, and her friends, share their tips and tricks on how to take care of your mental wellbeing while studying abroad, from joining UL’s clubs and Societies, to training your mind to enjoy the present!

Seven months have passed since I first traveled to Limerick University (UL), my Erasmus destination. The first time flying by plane on my own made me feel stressed,  excited and proud, sensations I have recreated again and again in my time here. I have lived through a ton of firsts, made many mistakes and accumulated even more successes.

The adventure is yours to live, for sure!,  but I would like to offer you some tips to make it more enjoyable. Here goes my friend and I’s advice on what to do, what to avoid, and how to take care of your mental health during a study abroad.

Do not let anxiety take over the firsts months

“I would have liked being able to get more out of the experience in the first few months.” Imary Oviedo, an Erasmus journalism student in Lisbon, expressed that she could have enjoyed the beginning of her Erasmus more if adapting to new things was not so hard for her.

I feel life balance is key for keeping away anxiety in general. During the beginning of a study abroad I would break it a bit and prioritize self care though.

Saving some time during the day for relaxing, mediating, or buying yourself a treat can provide you with so much energy to interact with the new world before your eyes.

Do take the reins to connect with “your pack”

Ismary wishes she had met more people similar to her, with whom she could find opening up easy. “I don’t manage to get along so well with everyone, but that depends on the people you meet, so it’s more luck than anything else.” I disagree.

Luck is important, but if you want to find people similar to you, you should always actively search for places or activities where you can find them.

Yiming Li, a Software Development master’s student at UL, regrets not having tried to do things on her own sooner. “That’s more efficient and can help to find people with the same hobbies and stuff!”

In every Erasmus destination there are a myriad of students and activities to get to know. This is especially true for UL as new clubs and societies are created every year.

Feel free to join  as many as you are interested in and attend the activities that best fit your probably ever changing schedule. My recommendation? Drama Society,  without a doubt.

Me, blue scarf around my neck, after seeing By The Bog Of Cats with Dramasoc

On Li´s part she is proud of having built a stronger body in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club. She has decided to do more training and maybe try to gain stripes, a proof of having mastered a new level in the martial art.

“I really love it!” And you can easily feel the same way because the club is totally beginner friendly.

Do take advantage of your terrain

Some universities would be pro organizers, they will always be planning new events and trips for exchange students. Others Erasmus destinations will have a dull campus, but offer a sizzling city life. You just need to find out what your place is all about and adapt.

Lisbon would be the latter, Limerick the former. Rita Mazariegos, a Marketing, Consumption and Society’s master student, believes that in Limerick there is not a lot to do. “I would have preferred going to a bigger city, like I would have preferred going to Dublin.”

She is right, the city center is small and separated from the university. Plus, Irish students often return to their counties during the weekends, so Saturday and Sunday can get a bit boring if you do not travel.

If your situation is similar to mine, I would recommend making out the most of  the festivals  and trips your University organizes.

Also, getting a part time job on the weekends will give you something to do and more money to spend when the occasion comes.

Do not allow your roots to trap you, honor them

Vanessa Sánchez, a Psychology student who lived in Limerick for her Erasmus during the first semester, said she wishes she had enjoyed the moment more, without worrying and missing her family so much.

I would advise everyone to keep in contact with their family and friends at home. They will keep you stable during this fast moving period.

But, it is more important to embrace the change that is happening at the moment, so do not hold on to the past, live in the now.

Do learn to be fearlessly proud because you are becoming independent

Having struggled with OCD for a long time, Vanessa feels proud to have completed her exchange. “It was something I would never have thought I could achieve”.

She expresses that while in Limerick she was in one of her worst moments mentally speaking, after coming back she has changed in several things and is more aware of others.

The exchange has given her a different way of looking at things. She would even say to be able to,  changing from Spanish to English to remark it, “stand up for myself more.”

Ismary also feels proud to have faced her fear and managed to get ahead. Because in the end, tips give you amazing information, but to truly learn that you are prepared, “you have to simply move forward, without stopping to think about what could go wrong.”