5 Lessons I Learned from Moving to America: How Studying Abroad Can Benefit You

At 19 years old, departing Thailand for America marked a significant leap in my journey. Fortunately, language barriers were not my greatest hindrance. On the other hand, cultural contrasts took me more time to adjust. Studying abroad, in my mind, was an invaluable gift from my parents. This new life chapter opened doors to experiences unimaginable if I were in the comfort of my home. I want to share five pivotal lessons drawn from my transition to America and delve into how studying abroad can catalyze personal growth with proper actionable goals.

Table of Contents

1. Stepping out of your Comfort Zone

2. Prioritizing "self" time

3. Books > Movies

4. Time is Precious

5. Open to Opportunities

Bonus: Tips & Tricks for making the most out of your student + social life.

Stepping out of your Comfort Zone

Building your social circle

The fear of trying to fit in with others and "people-pleasing" still remains my greatest challenge. As an athlete, the golf team was a good way to start making connections with strangers. From that, I got a hard-working roommate along with some amazing friends who made college feel more homey. Being able to create a new profile purely expressing your persona is the best way to find the right people and have the courage to spark a conversation with them.

Embracing Different Opinions & Diversity: Learning from varied perspectives

My roommate and I have similarities in that we have goals to become significant figures which is why we moved here to gain as much exposure to different people and cultures as possible. From time to time, my friends and I get into discussions that are very insightful. I realized that our conversations are way more interesting once we become receptive to each other's comments. Moving to America forced me to embrace different people's opinions and use their viewpoints as a reflection of my beliefs. As I enjoy listening and observing others rather than speaking, I quickly learn new techniques and journeys from not only my friends but professors and even strangers I encounter.

Prioritizing "Self" Time

Morning Routine

As an early bird, I get into a morning routine of taking care of myself before accomplishing other tasks. It's different for everyone but allotting a time period to make yourself feel ready makes a huge difference to your energy spent throughout the day. The main actions that I do every morning are:

1. Workout (See my other blog for specific exercises)

2. Read (Self-help books)

3. Reflect (Meditation/Journaling)

Connect to Home

Some days, I make time to connect back with my parents and family. It is important to do this because you would feel less homesick and comfort your relations. The best part about calling a few times a week is that there are enough gaps in the days for you to experience many things and bring them to discuss with your family. It makes calling much more exciting and not just "How is college going?" "fine, lots of work". The time difference can make it hard to schedule especially with siblings being in different countries from your parents, but a few times a week should be enough to share your experiences.

Books > Movies

What happens when you read 20 minutes a day?

A few weeks after settling into college, I got into reading as a part of my morning routine as well as whenever I have free time (rarely, lol). Self-help books have always been my favorite kind to read. At first, I started with a few pages but after a while, I started making a benchmark to read at least one chapter every day. I noticed my expansion of knowledge and deep lexicons started to surface, appearing in my daily conversations. Other genres aren't my go-to and I would rather watch movies for that but it depends on each person's preferences. There is a list of books that I read/will read posted on the "Store" page.

Time is Precious

Managing expected time vs. real-time

One of my professors suggested that the time you expect to finish one task would be multiplied by 5 and add 2 extra hours in order to create a good design. Obviously, everyone's formulas are different. Personally, I believe in the amount of effort you put into satisfying a desirable result. It has been one whole semester and time still feels like it's going by so quickly. To not lose track of time, I prioritize tasks that need to get done followed by what I want to accomplish.

Try something new every chance you get

Since time is one of my biggest assets, I want to use it to meet people, find opportunities, and do activities whenever I get the chance. I'm so thankful I got to spend the holidays with one of my friends. I was able to experience American Thanksgiving and looking forward to more to come. Being able to try new cultures, go to new places, and talk to new people makes coming here much more valuable.

Open to Opportunities

Life is fascinating with an open mind

Sometimes it's easy to forget the point of coming here in the first place. Initially, I just hoped to study hard and party hard. But, life was not like that at all. In fact, I rarely went to parties (only on occasions). Once I left my expectations and focused on finding opportunities by being receptive to people/events, I realized life had so much to offer. And that was an important lesson.

Appreciating the Little Joys

Not every day is going to be like how you plan it to be. As long as you have a good intention that is realistic, accomplishing tasks that work towards your goals should be celebrated. I am grateful for how my friends and professors support/push me through different paths. So far, one thing that separates American culture from Thai culture is how generous they are, at least that's how the people around me are which leads me to the last point.

Give = Recieve

I have been a receiver for such a long time, maybe my entire life. I set expectations for what I wanted to get but not what I wanted to give. This one book made me realize how you need to give without expecting a return. The small reactions of my friends as I gave them little things made me feel an unmeasurable sense of connection that receiving could not fulfill. Now, I want to give rather than receive.