Our best piece of advice for international students

Moving abroad for university can be extremely daunting.

You're saying goodbye to friends, family and countless home comforts that you didn't even realise you'd miss. Yes, you'll make new friends who feel like your UK family, and you'll find all new creature comforts that you'll miss once you leave (study abroad means a whole lot of missing things!) but we can't deny that those first few days might be really hard.

Think about it: you've been travelling for hours. You've dragged heavy suitcases across London. The city might feel humid, or cold, or rainy in ways you're not yet used to. You finally get to your accommodation, and all you want to do is curl up in bed.

It's totally fine to spend the next few days holed up in your room, sleeping off the jetlag, right?

🚨🚨🚨RESIST! RESIST! RESIST!🚨🚨🚨

Our RA Qazi said it best on the ResLife Podcast (watch the video above!) but we'll say it again because it's so true.

When you first get to London, you need to leave your room!

Go out, explore the city, even if you don't know where you're going or have no one to meet. Take your first Tube journey to one of the spots on your London bucket list. Find the closest corner shop to your accommodation and buy a snack you've never tried before. Discover all of the best spots on or around the Queen Mary campus!

Staying home may be comforting in the moment, but you run the risk of homesickness and isolation starting to set in. The longer you stay away, the more difficult it will seem to get started, so don't wait!

Even if it's only a 20 minute walk before you settle in for a much-needed rest, you will feel so much better and so much more prepared to take on the adventure that lies ahead of you. Because you're here, you made it, you're in London - now show the city what you're made of!

If you find you are struggling with settling in to university life, the Welfare team can offer support and guidance. Don't hesitate to reach out. You are not alone!