Leaving home, especially to a strange country, can mean an overwhelming number of new experiences for us. Many people do not have any trouble with their new lives as students, but some may find it difficult. At a time of a festival such as New Year or a change in the seasons, we may feel a sudden strange emotion. Perhaps we will feel sadness as a result of missing our favourite food cooked by our mother, of missing chit-chat with soul mates, someone’s smile, the comfortable bed or a familiar street. Having thoughts about our old life can make us feel like we are not ready for a new life.
I left home when I was fifteen to study and, after being away from home for nearly seventeen years, I already knew how to live my own life. But, this year as an international student in a new country, I definitely needed to learn how to adapt my life as soon as possible. Here are a few things which I often do to overcome my nostalgia.
1. Ask yourself what makes you feel nostalgia.
Leaving the safety of our comfort zones can be difficult at first in case we have not prepared well enough to merge into a new environment. For most of us, things such as food, weather, language barriers and loneliness play important roles in holding us back in our corners. Write down a list of reasons and try to think of solutions.
There is no doubt that culture shock is the most serious matter we should consider. Overcoming it is the first step and there is no better way to tackle it than exploring locally. Soaking up our new surroundings can enhance our experience and teach us new things.
Loneliness, the most serious element, can be easier to change than you might think. Keeping in touch with family and friends as much as possible can help, or Nightline, a service organised by students of the University is always there as another source of support. If you haven’t found anyone to share your new life, you should go out to look for them! People will be waiting for you out there. What we need to do is just explore as much as we can. If you feel nervous about this, just remember that, humans have special skills to adapt and survive in new environments. So why not you? Never underestimate SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) either, because sometimes it has a greater effect on our mood than we recognize. SAD can increase our nostalgia for it changes our spirit and lifestyle. Another tip would be limiting the amount of free time we have, since too much free timemay increase our loneliness, and contribute to how nostalgic we feel.
2. Think positively about our present life
How many years will you have in the University of Aberdeen? Personally, I have only one year to finish my Masters, so I try to treasure my time here and take advantage of it as much as I can. We may think that we have plenty of time ahead, especially for an undergraduate. By looking at how the seasons have changed, we may consider that nothing is last forever. Do whatever makes us feel happy and respect every moment of our present life throughout this year, because one day we will think about our time in Aberdeen with nostalgia.
3. Choose the lifestyle that suits us
What makes me happy as a student? I always ask myself that question. Knowing that life is precious and my time is not endless, I choose a healthy life to make me a happy and healthy person. I look for the fun in “healthier” ways to explore a new culture, so alcohol, drugs and smoking are never my choice. Instead, I prefer walking, cycling, traveling, and widening my social networks.
Making friends is so important, so I often attend events which widen my knowledge, volunteer for events at school and for a local bookshop. Try to seek out opportunities that are a positive use of your time.
Where you can, it’s also always a good idea to balance studying and recreation. I arrange my timetable so that I can have many experiences in Aberdeen. I also like to set aside time to get back to nature whenever I have an opportunity, and smile at strangers as much as I can. They are my secrets to having a healthy life as an international student.
Nostalgia, a momentary feeling in a the human brain, stirs our emotions and lets us know how much we treasure our past and respect our present. One day, Aberdeen will be just a memory, which I know many of us will miss and reminisce about, saying “those were the days”. So, there is no reason for us to hold ourselves back instead of going out and exploring as much as we can.
So go out and try to make the most of now!
