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Balancing Work and Play when
Studying Abroad: The Ultimate Guide





In the words of St. Augustine: "Our world is a book and those who don't travel only read one page. As a passionate traveler, therefore, you are excited about new attractions, culture, and people. You want to explore the world for as long as you live and read as many pages as you can.”

The only problem you have is that you have traveled to study abroad, and not for leisure only. This means that you have more pages to read than tourists and travel enthusiasts. You need to peruse books at school and still explore new places and opportunities.

As a student, your education comes before leisure. Creating a balance between school and fun can be a daunting task. Unlike back in your country, you don’t have your parents or guardians to guide you. You are on your won. With infinite distractions on your way, you might easily dedicate little or no time to your studies and choose to focus on play!

Nonetheless, there are a few tips that can help you study and play like a champion abroad. Take a look at the advice below.

Make an effort

There is a huge rift between a jolly traveler and an education tour. As a student, you are studying abroad, not traveling abroad. Therefore, endeavor to make an effort in your coursework so that you can make the best out of your trip.

Factually, there is no need to spend thousands of bucks on international tuition if your goal is to have fun and skip classes. After school, you will have all the time to navigate different parts of the globe. Therefore, take advantage of the golden opportunity presented to you and prioritize reading actual books!

Explore more for learning, not for fun

Of course, you must have fun during your stay abroad. But instead of visiting parks and engaging in exciting activities with friends every day, consider getting a learning experience from your expeditions. Visiting historical buildings, national monuments, museums, and other educational facilities will help you learn what you read in books through practice.

In case you are learning the local language, attend all your classes, and practice speaking on your won. But if you want to learn it faster, get out and enjoy the culture. Speak the language with the locals and ask them to correct you where possible. Besides, this is the whole point of studying abroad, huh? Partner with friends and develop a schedule

When you travel abroad to study, don’t forget that the grades you get will follow you home. Also, a good grade will help you navigate the world in the future. There is no point in traveling thousands of miles from home, and going back with a D. Therefore, find a study partner(s) and come up with a schedule. This will keep you on your toes and ensure you focus on what brought you abroad – schoolwork!

Include playtime in your schedule

As you develop a work schedule with your partner(s), don't forget to include playtime. Well, fun and play are not standard. It means different things to different individuals. If you love sports, why not plan to watch a match in a local stadium? If you are studying abroad in Europe surely there are groups of people who gather to play soccer weekly.

If you are a foodie, explore various restaurants and sample different cuisines. If you are a fitness fanatic, find new ways to exercise or get a subscription from a local gym. If you are a party person, then there are lots of places for you to have fun with caution. Simply put, there will always be something fun to do abroad regardless of what you love.

Get enough rest

Since you will not be abroad forever, you have an inner desire to work hard and play hard.

However, you will do yourself a favor if you find some time to relax and unwind. The last thing you want is to fall sick in a foreign land. Therefore, get enough replenishment and rest so that you can avert stress and make the best out of the two most important worlds when studying abroad – work and play. Getting enough rest doesn't mean sitting on your couch all day, playing videogames or watching television. Remember, you are living in a new place and are exposed to things that you are not used to. Therefore, eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.

While abroad, put your studies first, but never stick your nose too much into books and shut the world out. Use the above tips to strike a balance between work and play, and you will undoubtedly have an amazing time studying abroad at any destination around the globe!


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