9 Things Nobody Tells You about Studying Abroad for Exchange
Jessica, one of the Exchange at Penn Correspondents, shares her experience here at Penn during the Spring 2025 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.
- You might fall sick.
Within the first month of being at Penn, I was hit with a really bad cold. While my friends were out and about in Atlantic City for the weekend, I stayed cooped up in bed to rest and recover. I had to miss rehearsals for my dance club and couldn’t get much work done either. To be honest, I felt absolutely miserable those few days.
- You’ll learn to take care of yourself and get better.
In previous semesters at school, I would often overlook my health for the sake of other priorities and try my best to “brave through” whatever illnesses I had. For some reason, however, I decided that I was going to take better care of myself this time. I tried my hand at making some simple soups with dumplings and noodles and took some Dayquil that my roommate very kindly left me. After a few days, I recovered, and the cold was a thing of the past!!!
- You might get homesick.
Before coming for my semester abroad, I naively thought that homesickness merely referred to having frequent thoughts about home or a strong desire to return as soon as possible and would be a fleeting thing that I could easily overcome as a “strong, independent person”. I soon found out that it was much more complex than that – homesickness had little to do with how independent I was, it was simply a mix of emotions and thoughts that stemmed from missing the familiarity of friends, family and food back home.
- That’s okay, and you’ll learn to love your new home.
Over time, I realised that the homesickness doesn’t really go away; after all, getting used to an entirely new environment and lifestyle took time, and not everything would feel right or make sense from the get-go. I concluded that I had to redirect my focus towards doing three things: creating new routines, discovering new likes and practicing gratitude for things uniquely found here. Now, I look forward to regular breakfasts at Commons with friends, a cup of Blue Jasmine Passion Fruit Swirl from Van Leeuwen after a long day and watching sunrises and sunsets from my window in Harrison.
- You might feel lonely.
Along with feelings of homesickness comes the occasional bouts of loneliness. As a student on exchange, it is only natural that I have a smaller social circle and support system here. Going down Locust Walk and seeing people run into their friends is really heartwarming; yet, at the same time, it makes me hope for a familiar face in the crowd too. I missed having deep conversations with friends mid-study session and returning home after a long week at school.
- You’ll learn to find joy in solitude.
Like homesickness, I found that loneliness comes and goes as it pleases. Knowing this, I began to lean into moments of solitude as much as I could, turning my full attention to whatever experience lay before me. All of a sudden, the food that I was eating seemed tastier, the book that I was reading became more interesting, and the small joys I witnessed from others going about their day-to-day lives spread to me too. Even in solitude, there was much joy and peace to be found!
- Or you’ll learn to find and build community.
On a brighter note, experiencing these ultimately made me learn to cherish the shared moments even more. I became more proactive in reaching out to friends, both old and new. I’ve learnt that a few text messages could go a long way in finding a sense of connection, and consistent efforts to make new memories and try different things together were the cornerstone of building up strong friendships.
- It’s okay to take things at your own pace.
There will be good days, and there will be bad days. Not every day will be as exciting, stress-free or productive. The best kind of advice I’ve gotten is cheesy but true – “take things one step at a time”. Rushing towards a certain outcome usually makes me more anxious and worried than necessary; only when I learnt to slow down and give myself space to breathe did I find a better balance between work and play.
- Whenever you’re ready, say yes. Adventure awaits!
The most memorable experiences I’ve had on exchange thus far all came from staying open to the unknown and saying “yes” to new opportunities. Regardless of whichever point you are at in your exchange journey, I wish you all the best, and I hope you have an amazing time!
Love, Jessica
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