1. Opening a bank account takes longer than expected
Proof of address requirements can create a genuine chicken-and-egg problem when you don’t yet have a permanent address to provide. This is worth asking your university’s international office about specifically before you arrive.
In the meantime, having some access to funds that doesn’t depend on a local account is worth arranging before departure, precisely to bridge this gap.
2. The first grocery shop is disorienting
Different brands, portion sizes, and unfamiliar store layouts make even a routine task feel unexpectedly effortful for the first few weeks, simply because none of your existing habits transfer directly.
This settles quickly, but it’s a small, cumulative source of first-month fatigue that’s easy to underestimate.
3. Time zone adjustment affects more than sleep
Staying in regular touch with family across a significant time difference takes active, ongoing scheduling rather than simply the goodwill to stay in touch.
This is worth discussing explicitly with family before departure, agreeing on a rough regular schedule in advance removes friction later.
4. Orientation week is genuinely worth attending fully
It’s tempting to skip parts of orientation week, but this is typically where the practical, unglamorous logistics of your new life get explained clearly and in one place.
Missing these sessions often means having to piece the same information together later, less efficiently.
5. Homesickness tends to peak later than most people expect
The first week is often genuinely exciting. Weeks three and four, once that initial novelty fades, are more commonly when homesickness becomes noticeably harder to manage.
This is a normal and common pattern rather than a sign that something has gone wrong.
6. Academic expectations may differ from what you’re used to
Independent study workload and the general expectation around self-directed learning can genuinely differ from your previous education system.
Adjusting to this is a genuine academic transition, and it’s worth taking seriously in the first few weeks.
7. Building a genuine social circle takes longer than a week
Meaningful friendships tend to form gradually over the first term, through repeated, ordinary interactions rather than through the first few structured social events.
It’s normal if the friendships that feel most genuine develop several weeks or months in.
8. Small admin tasks pile up quickly if ignored
Registering with a local doctor and understanding your visa’s reporting requirements are easy to postpone and important not to ignore for too long.
Setting aside a specific hour in the first couple of weeks purely for this kind of admin tends to prevent a stressful pile-up later.
What to prepare before you even leave home
A surprising amount of first-month friction can be reduced before departure rather than solved after arrival, printed copies of key documents, an initial supply of any regular medication in its original packaging, and a basic understanding of your destination’s emergency numbers and your university’s after-hours contact are all worth sorting out while you still have easy access to everything familiar.
Packing a small first week kit specifically, basic toiletries, a phone charger with the right plug adapter, a little local currency if you can obtain it in advance, removes several small first-day stresses that otherwise compound with jet lag and general disorientation.
Why comparing notes with other new arrivals helps
Many of the frictions on this list feel isolating in the moment, as though you’re the only one struggling with something everyone else seems to have figured out immediately. In reality, nearly every new international student experiences some version of the same list, which is exactly why talking openly with other new arrivals, rather than assuming everyone else is adjusting effortlessly, tends to make the whole experience feel considerably less isolating.
Orientation events, shared accommodation common areas, and early course social sessions are all natural, low-pressure places this kind of comparing-notes conversation tends to happen without needing to force it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to feel unsettled for the first few weeks?
Yes, this is a common and expected part of adjusting to a genuinely new environment, not a sign that you’ve made the wrong decision.
How long does it typically take to feel properly settled?
This varies, but many students report feeling meaningfully more settled by the end of their first full term rather than within the first few weeks.
Should I try to make friends immediately, or is it okay to take time?
Both approaches are normal. Neither pace is inherently better.
What’s the most common mistake students make in the first month?
Skipping orientation sessions or postponing small administrative tasks in favour of socialising or rest.
Is it normal for academic expectations to feel harder to adjust to than I expected?
Yes, particularly when moving between education systems with genuinely different approaches to independent study.
What’s worth packing specifically to reduce first-week stress?
A small kit with basics like toiletries, a charger with the right plug adapter, and some local currency if possible, small things that remove friction on day one specifically.
Does everyone struggle with these same things, or is it just me?
Nearly every new international student experiences some version of this list. Talking openly with other new arrivals usually reveals it’s far more universal than it feels in the moment.
Where do these comparing-notes conversations with other new students happen naturally?
Orientation events, shared accommodation common areas, and early course social sessions are all natural, low-pressure places this tends to come up without forcing it.