Whether your hometown is just a train ride away or you’re coming from halfway across the globe, moving to a new country as an international student takes such a big leap of faith. It’s definitely not for everyone as it requires a lot of flexibility, adaptability, initiative, and eagerness to learn. It was one of the most extreme ways for me to go out of my comfort zone.

To paint a clearer picture, I went from having more than enough space in my house back home to living in a corridor and sharing a kitchen with people I’m meeting for the first time. Until recently, life pretty much looked like light T-shirts, 30-degree weather, and the familiarity of hearing my native language everywhere I go. While all that has been replaced with bulky winter coats, freezing cold temperatures, and having to pull up Google Translate every time I’m at the supermarket, I have no regrets with my decision to move to and study in Sweden. 

That doesn’t mean that everything has been smooth sailing thus far. Being thousands of kilometers away from friends and family along with the discomfort that comes with growth can take a toll sometimes. This is why it’s equally important to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the (non-academic) challenges that come with being an international student. Here are some ways that I did so and I hope they help you out too!

1. Make a checklist of things you need or want to bring
It’s important that you eventually start seeing Uppsala as your new home. Make yourself comfortable by bringing not only the essentials but also a few things from home that you might not find in Sweden. That could be comfort food, polaroid photos of loved ones, or materials that would allow you to engage in your old hobbies!

2. Reflect on your goals and make a visual reminder of them
Living in a new country has its ups and downs so make sure to remind yourself of the reasons you applied to Uppsala University in the first place. Looking back at how much you prepared for your application as well as the goals you want to achieve while you’re in Sweden can serve as good motivators to keep moving forward during tough times. You could maybe write these down or (like me) make a Pinterest board of them!

3. Spend as much time as you can with your loved ones before you leave
Whether it’s people in your programme or your corridormates, you will for sure make new friends during your time in Uppsala. But it’s perfectly valid to miss the people you grew up with and those you’re leaving back home. With that, make as many memories as you can with your loved ones and enjoy the time you have left in your home country before you move. These will not only make for good stories to tell your new friends but also be things to look back on when you’re maybe feeling lonely.

There may be more ways for you to prepare yourself to move to Sweden, so try these out but also take the time to figure out what works best for you. Also, make sure to follow @studyatuu on Instagram to get a glimpse of what daily life as an international student in Uppsala University looks like!