When you're studying abroad, the feeling of being a little stressed or homesick is normal. Many times, you might feel that there is some sort of help needed by you which is also fine.
Here are a few points that can be responsible for an anxiety issue :
- Academic pressures
- Study and work commitment juggles
- Financial problems
- Relationship issues
Research have found that international students are at a higher risk and vulnerable to stress than domestic students due to additional challenges and overloading stresses faced by them when living abroad.
Common stress issues faced by students studying abroad
A research conducted on international students, by Forbes Mewett and Sawyer in Australia revealed many factors that lead to stress, anxiety pressures in students while they adjust their lives in a new country away from home.
1. Living standards and culture shock
Starting a new life for academic or work excellence in another country altogether is a tedious job. Many students who arrive as foreigners in a new place experience cultural differences and have to adapt to a new responsibility which includes expelling the language barriers, look for good accommodation, finding new housemates, paying monthly rent, managing a household, all these in addition to studying well in a new place.
Students have reported about initial worries that troubles them, like speaking in English language primarily otherwise you will not be able to communicate, voicing strong opinions during frequent group assignments and utilizing general health-care services.
2. Financial and academic concerns
Starting a new life for academic or work excellence in Besides handling all the financial issues, making a living without parents support and paying bills all alone, international students have to adjust to the standards of living, study styles and course-structures that they might have never encountered earlier.
Those students who receive financial backing from their homes have reported feeling more burdened by their parent, to attain success and achieve academic excellence while studying abroad than those who manage their independent finances. Students have also reported a lack of academic achievements than domestic students and having their academic work below expectation which leads to more profound anxiety and depression issues.
3. Managing stress and homesickness
It’s not weird to feel homesick and most students not belonging to the new culture might feel homesick for a few days while for others it might extend to a few weeks. Therefore, feeling homesick is a common thing and may involve you experiencing the following :
- Moody
- Anxious
- Lack of motivation
- The feeling that you do not belong here
- Feeling unwell
- Preoccupation with your thoughts of being back home
- Nothing feels familiar
- Feeling like this new life does not satisfy you
- Feeling alone and sad.
