50 Things I Wish I Knew Before My Erasmus Year
University | Housing | Language | Transportation | Meeting People | Drinking | Traveling | Daily Life | Eating | Going Home
On hitting the books…
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1. “Don’t forget about the actual school part of your Erasmus year. At least where I was in Belgium, I had to study, not extensively every day, but I definitely had to study. If you don’t pass your courses, you have to pay back the scholarship, so don’t be overly complacent.”
Jorge (Xipo) | Belgium
2. “Make sure you sort out your course selection before you head to your new uni. Once you’re there the language barrier is only going to make the administrative stuff more confusing. So be certain to sort out the specifics of your credits with your tutor in advance because credit values tend to fluctuate.”
Patricia Jiménez | Germany
3. “I found the level of study easier. From what I’ve seen, tests dont vary at all with what’s been done in class. The extra reading is almost optional, but there’s much more continous work.”
Santiago Hernández | Finland
4. “Research on Google Maps and start looking for destinations with low-cost airlines. Ideally, you should pick a cheap country that has a good location in Europe to do your Erasmus.”
Inés Pérez del Molino | Poland
5. “I wish I’d known more about the support I could get in France as a student, or guidance onbureaucracy crap.”
Katherine Allwood | France
6. “I think I would have wanted to know a bit more about how the EU-healthcare works! Plus the “signing in” and out of a country, I’m probably still registered in Munich.”
7. “Know how many credits you have to take and get them sorted ASAP so you can enjoy your time without worrying about administration problems!”
ESN King’s | England
On where you hang your hat…
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8. “Some people’s main concern is accommodation; how to get it, which is a good or a bad neighbourhood to live in or where you can be the first few days while they find housing. These things are always rectified eventually.”
ESN Málaga | Spain
9. “Find out if the university offers accommodation, and if so, which types. Most universities offer a range which means that with a little research, applications and maybe a few euros more, you will find a more suitable residence surrounded by locals”
Patricia Jiménez | Germany
10. “Roommates are not always easy. When you fantasize about your Erasmus accommodation, you might imagine living like “Friends,” but this is not always the case. Remember to be tolerant and resolve any bad vibes ASAP.”
On conjugating, communicating, and google translating…
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11. “Don’t avoid speaking to people just because you don’t speak the language well! Learning the language is one of the things that will improve your exchange the most. And of course, as you’ll soon figure out, a few drinks will make you basically bilingual!”
Inés Pérez del Molino | Poland
12. “Come up with a few basic phrases in the language! Even if it’s a country where everyone speaks English, you’ll always come across the odd person who would rather not. And you can be sure to be greeted with a big smile and better treatment which is a nice little bonus.”
Patricia Jiménez | Germany
13. “When you first get there you’ll definitely regret not having paid better attention in your language classes. But don’t worry, imitation will be your greatest ally!”
On getting around town…
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14. “Take a notebook of useful stuff. I speak from experience. If you’re taking a train from the airport, it’s so useful to know how much a ticket costs, how often the train departs, whether you have to change trains and how you ask for a ticket (in case you haven’t yet mastered the language). It will save you a lot of time and misunderstandings.”
Álvaro Jiménez | Germany
15. “You never know what to expect when it comes to Italy’s city buses, regardless of what the schedules say. You can purchase tickets from news stands or at the bus station, but you can also buy them from the bus driver, which can be really annoying, especially in large cities where the buses are filled with 3 times their capacity. Then you have to stamp your ticket in the small machine that marks it with the date and time, so often you will be able stamp it and you can re-use it next time. But be careful, the fine is 100 euros if you get caught.”
16. “Nobody warned me how dangerous cycling can be in cities like Flanders where it’s the norm to bike, particularly in the rain or if you’re cycling by the tram lines. So what happened? The first evening my tyre got stuck in the tram tracks. Not a great start…”
Oriol Salvador | Belgium
With friends like these…
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17. “Prepare to meet people from all over the world. You will probably end up speaking a lot of English if it is not your native language, as this is usually the common tongue. But you end up with an eclectic group of friends!”
18. “It isn’t always a good idea to go on Erasmus with friends from home. Don’t trick yourself thinking that you may have the same relationship in your home town as you will in your Erasmus destination. And anyway, the essence of Erasmus is – and always will be – to meet new people from all over the world.”
Álvaro Jiménez | Germany
19. “Relationships should be left at home, as the majority I’ve known have ended badly: none of the long distance relationships exceeded two months. There are so many new people to met and new things to do that the old is sometimes quickly left behind. On Erasmus you’ll meet some of the best friends of your life. You’ll see.”
Santiago Hernández | Finland
20. “I didn’t realize that I would end up hanging out and meeting mostly international people rather than locals.”
Travel On The Brain | Netherlands
21. “Talking to other people that have stayed and studied in the new place beforehand.”
ESN Lund | Sweden
22. “Searching for and joining useful Facebook groups before getting there is a pretty good idea, then you get to prepare yourself mentally a bit more and maybe find others in the same situation, which is always comforting and encouraging.”
ESN Lund | Sweden
On getting thirsty…
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23. “Don’t say no to even the smallest plans, the get-togethers that begin with a “let’s get a drink” and the impromptu trips are the things I miss most about Erasmus. If you turn them down, you’ll probably end up regretting it.”
Álvaro Jiménez | Germany
24. “Know things like: what is your limit? Or how many days in a row of partying can you go before your body will collapse?”
Off The Path | Germany
25. “I wish I had known that it would be more partying than studying, and that I should have prepared my liver for it.”
26. “You’re not going to get more than 6 hours of sleep a night and hopefully it’s not because you’ll be busy studying. You’ll be so busy attending parties and events and concerts that you may even find it difficult to squeeze in the necessary 6 hours. Sometimes you may even find yourself in class without having slept (still wearing last night’s party clothes). And if you’ve got a boyfriend or girlfriend expect to sleep even less.”
Tessie Messie | Spain
27. “I would have loved to have known the exorbitant price of beer in Norway before arriving.”
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