This is part 2 of the “Useful Tips to Prepare For Your Semester Abroad”. Of course, there are a lot more things that you have to account for and considered while you are getting ready, the following are just some of the tips I am glad I knew from my friends around me and things that I wished I did when I was getting ready for my exchange semester. I hope you will find them useful and I will definitely consider making a Part 3 of this series if I have any additional tips I can think of!
- Print out photos of family, friends, pet, food, or whatever you like
Once you reach the dorm in Mannheim and the wall will be a little simple, and you will want to put some pictures on the wall to make it look better. The photo of you family, friends and pets will be a little part of home that you can bring a long to Germany to help cure the homesick you have in the middle of the nights, or when they can’t pick up your calls during the time differences. You would also want to have some old pictures with you to keep you company beside the pictures that’s available on Facebook.
- Scan and make multiple copies of all your important document before your trip
Scanning all of your important personal document just for emergency purposes. Making sure you bring multiple copies on your carry-on and checked baggage. It will be useful to leave those information along with your credit card information for your family, or someone you can trust so they might contact certain agencies or school on your behalf for you.
Important document: Passport, Acceptance Letter, Health Insurance, Driver License, Visa (If needed)
As someone who had worked at the Bursar’s Office before, a lot of parents were unable to talk to the university regarding on the billing because the students didn’t waiver their FEPRA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) privacy rights. If you are expecting a refund from UMass as your spending money abroad, make sure you put down a valid bank account for Access Express Enrollment, so you won’t need to wait a long time until you receive the money.
- Download the offline Google Map for Mannheim
There will be many places that you would need to be on the first day of Mannheim, therefore having a map of the city would be handy when it comes to going to different places for the first time. The city of Mannheim used the block system (similar to New York City), which mean even if you get lost, you can’t be too lost in the city. Also you might not feel too ready to ask a stranger for direction with your German (or English), so you won’t need to feel too lost on your first day at Mannheim. Eventually you will be used to the city and won’t need the map anymore, or you met new friends the next day that you can all get lost together (which sometimes is part of the fun at a foreign country)!
- Enjoy your UMass Dining Experiences, and all the other food
As a student of the University with the #1 dinning service, you will certainly miss your dinning hall and Blue Wall (Even though they are really expensive). Make sure you eat your favorite dishes from the dining common before you have to say bye to them for an entire semester. As an upperclassman who was really sick of the UMass food, I missed the options we had when I was in Mannheim. It doesn’t hurt to order Wings over Amherst, Insomnia Cookies, Pioneer Valley for a couple more times before your journey. Also support to local restaurants at Amherst downtown before you return the next semester.
As someone who is from Boston, make sure you eat all the “common food” from the area (Lobster roll, New England Clam Chowder), because before you know it you will be in Germany and those food will not be so “common” near where you live.
- Talk to others that went abroad before
It is normal to feel unprepared for your semester abroad, and talking to someone who had went through the journey definitely helped. It doesn’t have to be someone who did the exact program as you. (However we all would love to talk to you if you need some advice on suggestions regarding on anything you have concerns for!) The study abroad journey is very memorable and unique to everyone, so people often have different approach to prepare for it. Listening to other people’s experience will get you prepare for some of the excitement and obstacle that you will be facing and get you excited for the journey of a lifetime.
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