Game Changing Principles

THREE GAME CHANGING principles GAME

By Daniel Cabrera HOW TO NAIL STUDYING ABROAD

As the plane takes off and then lands in a new place, many thoughts can cross your mind. Doubt and uncertainty can easily consume the thoughts of a young adult when first travelling abroad for long-term study. Visa requirements, family expectations and personal goals begin placing pressure over a journey that has only begun and will continue to unravel over the course of years. The following are three encouraging principles that have enhanced my experience as a QUT international student that I believe can act as a game changer for your time at university!

STEP OUT OF IT!

Perhaps this sounds like a clichéd phrase that sends chills down your spine. Being distant from those who’ve shaped you and away from the roots of the culture that watched you grow can leave a sense of emptiness. At first, this may seem like an unhappy space, but do not be mistaken. Being away from home can be a massive opportunity! Attending social events or joining an interesting club from the very beginning can set you up for a win, and enhance your university experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about attending a party and meeting hundreds of strangers, but rather about positioning yourself to find the countable few who will become your uni-years-family. We all long for a place to belong and uni provides these by the dozen. It’s easy to get caught up in the comfort-zone of “gathering amongst friends of the same tongue” or “staying at home for another episode of that TV show”. But who knows? - You might be one trivia night or BBQ away from making lifelong friends. The difference between a great uniexperience and a not-so-great one goes well beyond the books and lectures. There is always more to explore across campus than what you have got currently on your plate. Get involved with campus life, become an active member of a student club, put together a social sports team or help with a regular Guild event.

Become part of something larger than yourself and watch how you grow and earn experience in areas you never even imagined. On a personal level, juggling between work, volunteer roles, extracurricular activities and full time studies can easily result in a “yeah good but busy” kind of life. This, although quite “normal” for the average student is not ideal. Practicing activities that replenish you and provide authentic rest (not merely a distraction) will result in a higher performance and better attitude across challenging periods of study. Challenge yourself to a bit of rest, and treat your mind to pause in the middle of busy weeks. You’ll be amazed at the results that quality rest can have on your academic and young professional years.