Wellbeing Column: Adjusting to a New Normal in Exchange

When you head off for an exchange program and start adapting to a new place, people often talk about culture shock, but it can look different for each student. At the beginning of your exchange, everything is still new and up in the air: maybe your new home doesn't feel like home yet, your roommate is not what you expected, and you haven't had the chance to make new friends or find your own group. The bureaucracy of the new country and various extra "adjustments" might also cause frustration.

If the first few weeks of your exchange feel tough and you even find yourself regretting the decision to go, you're not alone! Adapting to a new place takes time, and you need patience to build a new daily routine in a foreign country and city. At the start, it might be helpful to think through your expectations and hopes you have for your exchange period. Your experience might be different in many ways from your classmates’ experiences, but it will still be as valuable and important.

At the beginning, it's common to feel more tired than usual – using a foreign language and experiencing new things is exciting but also quite exhausting. Remember that this is completely natural and will get easier with time as your daily life starts to flow and the environment becomes more familiar. So, give yourself plenty of time to settle into your new surroundings.

In the first weeks, it might be good to take care of basic everyday matters: find the nearest grocery store, figure out transportation routes to important places, and take care of your everyday well-being. Also, consider what familiar and comforting things you could add to your daily life: small, cozy things can enhance the feeling of settling in and familiarity. You can create routines that are unique to you even in the exchange location, as ultimately, everyday life during the exchange is still everyday life.

If you feel that you need more support for reflecting your thoughts and getting through possible challenges during the exchange, remember that Haaga-Helia's Wellbeing Services are available to you even while you're abroad.