by Angie Lin

One of the many benefits we have at NYU is the incredible opportunity to study abroad. For most of us, when we receive our acceptance notifications or board the plane to our homes for the next four months, all we can think about is how excited we are and how much fun we will have. While this is the best mindset to have, it also means that sometimes we don’t consider any obstacles until we’re already facing them with no idea what to do.
 
This is my second semester studying abroad, and one of the problems I still face during the first few weeks is the feeling of homesickness. It’s not a fun feeling, and it’s also not one that is easy to get rid of, especially when it seems like everyone else is having the time of their life. Although I do still get homesick, I’d like to think that I’ve gotten better at dealing with it, so here are my top 5 tips for easing that uncomfortable feeling.

1. Take advantage of your environment. Use what’s around you to make the best out of the situation. If you’re in a city, you’ll most likely have tons to see and do - visit a museum, wander the streets, or eat your way through the best places near you. You’ll probably have discounts with a student ID, so use it! If you’re somewhere more rural (like I currently am), take advantage of the fact that you’re surrounded by trees instead of skyscrapers. Go for a hike or explore the area and enjoy the fresh air. There are benefits to any environment, so figure out what they are and go after them.
 
2. Find your safe space. Maybe it’s a cafe you really like, a study spot you can always concentrate in, or just your room. Find a place in which you feel comfortable, and use it whenever you need a bit of peace or to calm your thoughts. Use it as a way to get out of your head and anchor yourself to where you are. For me, there’s a restaurant/coworking space on campus that I like going to. On the weekends, it turns into the campus cafeteria since the normal one is closed, but during the week, it’s generally pretty empty and is a great place to go to study or just relax. I like to sit by the window and look out at the greenery if I need a break.

3. Keep yourself distracted. When we’re caught up in our thoughts, it’s so easy to start stressing about small things and it becomes a downward spiral. Give yourself something to do that you can focus on. It doesn’t have to be homework and it doesn’t have to be anything crazy. Browse YouTube or Netflix, listen to music, or read the book that you’ve been meaning to read but never got around to. Find something to do that will bring you to a different world and let yourself get immersed in it.
 
4. Remind yourself why you chose to study abroad. Remember that initial feeling of excitement you had? Channel that energy and think about what pushed you to apply for a semester abroad. Was it a new culture you wanted to learn more about? Was it the idea of traveling to a different country every weekend? Was it a specific class you were really interested in? Make a list of what you want to accomplish while you’re abroad and start working your way through it. Make plans ahead of time so that you can save money and have something to look forward to.
 
5. Be okay with not being okay. It is perfectly normal to be homesick, regardless of if it’s your first or fiftieth time away from home. The feelings that you have are completely valid, and it’s easier to accept that than to try and force them away. Do things at your own pace and don’t feel pressured to do something just because everyone else is. You should definitely try to step out of your comfort zone, but if you only agreed to something because people told you to and if you’re dreading it during the time leading up to it, maybe that’s a sign that it might not be the best thing for you to do. Remember that everyone is having the same experience of being in a new place, and everyone deals with it in different ways. Regardless of how much fun others may look like they’re having, your decisions are yours to make and only you know what the best choices are for yourself.
 
As you learn to navigate your study abroad experience, also keep in mind that you have a network of loved ones that you can fall back on. The beauty of the digital age is that we can connect with whoever we want whenever we want, regardless of where in the world they are. Don’t forget to check in with family and friends to let them know how you’re doing and remember that they are there to support you every step of the way.

By: Sophie Gershenwald

Hey USWIB! I can’t believe how fast this semester is flying by – it seems like I wrote my last post yesterday, but it was already weeks ago.  I’ve been travelling a lot more recently, so I’m focusing on checking off my whole French to-do list in the upcoming weeks! I’m packing as much as I can into everyday, so this month is going to be a balancing act between studying for finals and making sure I don’t come home thinking about that one museum I didn’t get a chance to see. 
 
Paris is finally getting warmer and sunnier after being on the cusp of spring for a few weeks, which means that all of the flowers are finally blooming and that we can finally picnic along the Seine/in gardens!  The cherry blossoms near Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower are especially beautiful, and I recently travelled outside of Paris to Parc de Sceaux, designed by the same person who did the Tuilleries gardens and Versailles, to have a picnic under the cherry blossoms there.  I also went to Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny, which was beautiful and especially interesting because I learned all about his Lily Pad paintings (painted at Giverny) in Art History.
 
I haven’t been in Paris much over the past few weeks (except for school, of course!).  I went to Iceland a month ago and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.  The flight is only a few hours, so it isn’t hard to get to at all.  We stayed in Reykjavik but went on tours everyday to make sure we saw everything.  The day after we got there, we went horseback riding on Icelandic ponies through a lava field.  They have 5 gaits that make them unique, a couple of which are especially bouncy and almost made my friends and I fall off.  We then went on a tour of the Golden Circle, which included Þingvellir National Park, featuring the oldest parliament in the world and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the ridge between America and Europe, The Great Geysir, the first documented geyser, its still-active neighbor, Strokkur, and the beautiful Gullfoss Waterfall.  The next day, we visited the Blue Lagoon and loved hanging out there for hours before returning back to Reykjavik to try the famous hot dogs at Baejarins Betzu Pylsur. We spent the rest of our trip exploring the city and trying interesting foods. Iceland is known for whale, fermented shark, and puffin, and I love tasting new things, so naturally, I tried all of them.  Fermented shark was definitely an experience.
 
Over spring break, I visited Lisbon, Portugal, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.  Lisbon was beautiful, and every building is either a gorgeous pastel color or covered in intricate tiles.  We spent a lot of time just roaming the streets and soaking it all in.  Some highlights in the city include the Santa Justa Lift, an elevator that links city levels (Lisbon is basically just a series of hills), LX Factory, a really cool area with lots of shops and restaurants and a market every week, Sao Jorge Castle, ruins of a palace on top of a hill with beautiful views over the city, and the Church of Sao Roque, which is covered in intricate paintings and gold details. 
 
Our day trips included Sintra, Belem, and Cascais (just for the beautiful beaches!).  In Sintra, we spent the day wandering around the Pena National Palace.  It’s painted vibrant salmon, yellow, and blue colors and is surrounded by many gardens and parks.  In Belem, we went to the incredible Jeronimos Monastery, where Vasco de Gama is buried, visited the Tower of Belem, and ended the day by visiting the famous Pasteis de Belem and tasting their delicious pastels de nata, or egg tarts.  They have the original recipe, and only 3 people know it! Every other pastry shop in Portugal has been trying to figure out their recipe for decades.  We didn’t want to leave Portugal behind but loved being able to relax on Palma’s beaches and walk around the cute town for a few days.  It was a much-needed break before the craze of finals sets in.
 
I don’t want to leave Paris yet, but I’m making sure I make the most out of every day! I still have a couple of exciting trips planned to Italy and other towns in France, so the fun definitely isn’t over yet.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at sdg370@nyu.edu! Good luck on finals, and have a great rest of the semester!

By: Xiaoying Zhao

​The Food
…is delicious. French cooking lives up to its hype, from the buttery escargots, to well-seasoned meats, to rich cheese, to even the 59 cent baguettes.  However, the HEC campus is unfortunately located in a very small town that does not offer much variety. And although you can find a number of international restaurants in Paris, the suburbs are almost always just stuck with the basics of French food. 

The Classes
…are mostly enjoyable. The academic system is a little more lax. I only see professors once a week. I rarely have homework. And apart from the French accents, the lectures are reasonably understandable. The only flaw is that because the system is lax, the professors can do almost whatever they want. They don’t pass out notes and they don’t have regular office hours. They can cancel a certain class session and reschedule it for another random day if they wish. Sometimes this can be inconvenient.

The People
…are mostly lovely. The students are usually welcoming and very curious to learn about New York. Every student I’ve spoken to so far is aware of NYU. They are very knowledgeable about the US, from Hollywood, to our business, to Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency. It’s actually a bit scary sometimes. 

Surprises
…include most shops and restaurants being closed on Sundays, business closed for a complete hour for lunch during weekdays, restaurants not being open until 7 PM for dinner, the lack of sale of iced coffee anywhere, and the lack of separation of male and female restrooms. The French don’t seem to find any awkwardness in the fact that male and female stalls are right next to each other in the same room at times. 

Overall I’m extremely grateful to be here, but living in France has made me appreciate New York even more :) ​