Studying Abroad Will Break You First, Then It Will Build You
Studying Abroad-A Truth Every Student Should Hear Before Leaving Home
Over the past three decades, I have watched thousands of young students walk through the doors of IMFS with dreams of studying abroad. I have seen their excitement, their doubts, their ambitions, and their fears. I have also watched many of them return years later, transformed in ways that go far beyond academics.
Some return as confident professionals, others as entrepreneurs, researchers, or global leaders. But almost all carry something deeper within them — a quiet maturity that comes only from facing the world on their own.
This article is not meant to discourage students from studying abroad. It is meant to prepare them for the journey. Because the truth is simple: the path is demanding, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally lonely, but ultimately extraordinary.
The Day the Journey Begins
Every year, around the time admission offers begin arriving, I meet students preparing to leave India for the first time. Their excitement is unmistakable. They talk about the universities they are joining, the cities they will live in, and the opportunities waiting for them abroad. Parents sit nearby — proud, hopeful, and quietly emotional.
Sooner or later, someone says what every student believes at that moment.
And in many ways, it does.
But what students imagine before they leave and what they experience after they arrive are often very different things. The brochures show smiling students, beautiful campuses, and a vibrant city life. Social media feeds reinforce the image, with photographs of new adventures and exciting places.
What these images rarely show are the quieter moments that shape the real experience.
The evenings when homesickness arrives unexpectedly.
The days when confidence is tested.
The weeks when you realise that everything — from cooking to managing finances — must now be handled on your own.
Studying abroad is not simply an academic opportunity; it is a journey of becoming. And journeys of becoming are rarely easy.
The First Ninety Days
Almost every international student experiences what I like to call the first ninety days.
During the first few weeks, everything feels exciting. The campus is impressive, the classrooms are modern, and the environment feels full of possibilities. Students send photographs home and reassure their families that everything is wonderful.
But slowly, life begins to settle into routine.
Assignments arrive. Grocery shopping becomes necessary. Laundry piles up. The weather might feel unfamiliar. Classroom discussions move faster than expected. And then there are moments when the room feels unusually quiet.
In those moments, the reality of distance becomes deeply personal. Homesickness visits quietly, sometimes when it is least expected.
It is not weakness; it is simply the heart adjusting to change.
The Loneliness Nobody Mentions
Before leaving home, many students imagine that friendships abroad will happen instantly. Sometimes they do, but often they take time.
Everyone around you is also adjusting to a new country, a new culture, and a new academic environment. Conversations may begin slowly. Cultural differences may create small barriers in the beginning.
These moments can feel heavy.
And yet, slowly, something remarkable begins to happen. Friendships grow in unexpected places — during group projects, late-night study sessions, or shared struggles over difficult assignments.
Before long, students realise they now have friends from countries they once knew only from geography textbooks. What began as loneliness becomes connection.
A Different Kind of Classroom
Another surprise for many students lies inside the classroom.
Education abroad often expects students not merely to listen but to participate actively. Professors encourage discussion. They invite disagreement, and they expect students to question ideas and defend their own perspectives.
But gradually something shifts.
Students begin speaking up. They contribute ideas, and in that moment they have begun the process of growth — intellectual growth that often comes from conversation rather than memorisation.
Over time, confidence replaces hesitation. What once felt uncomfortable becomes empowering.
The Quiet Weight of Financial Responsibility
There is another reality that deserves honesty.
Students become deeply aware of the sacrifices their families may have made to support their education. Tuition fees, rent, insurance, groceries — every expense carries meaning.
Unexpected situations arise as well. A laptop stops working. A medical appointment becomes necessary. The dollar becomes unexpectedly more expensive.
Students learn quickly that managing money is not just about spending, it is about responsibility.
These lessons, while challenging, often become some of the most valuable skills students acquire during their years abroad.
Living Between Cultures
Another transformation happens gradually.
Every country has its own rhythm, its own way of speaking, interacting, and understanding the world. At first, these differences may feel confusing. Conversations may seem more direct than expected. Humour may not translate easily.
They learn to navigate cultural differences with sensitivity and awareness.
They develop the rare ability to understand multiple perspectives.
In a world that increasingly values global understanding, this ability becomes priceless.
Who Should Not Take This Journey
After guiding students for many years, one observation becomes clear. Studying abroad is not suited for everyone.
Students who expect life to remain comfortable and predictable may struggle with the independence the experience demands. Those who rely heavily on external support systems may find it difficult when those systems disappear.
Above all, this journey requires the ability to face uncertainty.
Plans change. Opportunities appear unexpectedly. Challenges arise without warning.
Those who succeed are not necessarily the smartest students. They are the ones who learn to persist.
Five Moments Every Student Abroad Experiences
Over time, almost every student passes through a series of defining moments.
The first is the excitement of arrival, when everything feels new and full of promise.
The second is the wave of homesickness, reminding you how deeply connected you are to home.
The third is the first serious challenge, when something tests your confidence.
The fourth is the breakthrough moment, when you solve a problem entirely on your own.
And the fifth arrives quietly.
One day, often without warning, you notice something subtle. Perhaps you are presenting a research idea confidently in class. Perhaps you are helping a newly arrived student find their way around campus. Or perhaps you are simply walking through the city and suddenly realise it feels familiar.
And in that moment, the realization appears.
You have changed.
The person who once felt uncertain now handles life with quiet confidence. The transformation happened slowly, almost invisibly — but it happened.
A Message to Parents
For parents, watching a child leave home for another country is never easy.
There is pride, of course, but also concern.
Will they manage on their own?
Will they be safe?
Will they be happy so far from home?
These worries are natural.
Yet something beautiful often happens with time. The young person who returns after studying abroad is rarely the same one who left.
They return stronger, wiser, and more confident.
They carry a deeper understanding of both the world and themselves.
The journey that once felt uncertain becomes the experience that shaped their character.
The Quiet Transformation
At some point in the journey, often long after the struggles have passed, students begin to notice something subtle within themselves. They handle situations with greater calm. They make decisions with quiet confidence. They look at the world not with fear, but with curiosity.
What they may not immediately realise is that something fundamental has changed. The young person who once left home with hesitation has gradually become someone capable of standing anywhere in the world with dignity and self-belief.
This transformation rarely happens through comfort.
It happens through moments of uncertainty, through challenges that demand courage, and through experiences that push us beyond what we once believed were our limits.
In many ways, studying abroad is not just an educational journey.
It reveals strengths we did not know we possessed. It teaches patience, resilience, humility, and gratitude.
And eventually, students realise something profound. The difficult moments were not obstacles. They were the experiences that shaped who they became.
That is why studying abroad is not meant for those seeking an easy path.
But for those willing to grow, to struggle, and to discover the deeper possibilities within themselves, it can become one of the most transformative chapters of their lives.
And perhaps that is the true purpose of education.
Not merely to change what we know.
But to change who we become.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find an IMFS Branch Near You
Walk in at any of our offices across Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Nellore & Warangal for a free study-abroad counselling session.
IMFS Thane
801, 8th Floor, Ishan Arcade Towers, Naupada Thane West, MH – 400602 Know MoreIMFS Dadar
406, A-Wing, Kohinoor Square, West Tower, Opp. Shiv Sena Bhavan, Dadar West Mumbai, MH – 400028 Know MoreIMFS Borivali
401, Landmark, Near Irani Petrol Pump, Opp. Daulat Nagar Railway Crossing, S V Road, Borivali West Mumbai, MH – 400092 Know MoreIMFS Vashi
2nd Floor, Office No. 223, Platinum Techno Park, behind Raghuleela Mall, next to Kalyan Jewellers, Sector 30 Vashi, Navi Mumbai, MH – 400703 Know MoreIMFS Pune – Shivaji Nagar
105, DMH Complex, Tukaram Paduka Chowk, above Vodafone Store, opp. Medilaser Hospital, Shivajinagar Pune, MH – 411004 Know MoreIMFS Kukatpally
406A, 4th Floor, Fortune Signature, near JNTU Metro Station, above Pista House, Sardar Patel Nagar, Kukatpally Housing Board Colony Kukatpally, Hyderabad, TS – 500085 Know MoreIMFS LB Nagar
3, Ground Floor, Prajay Princeton Towers, Opp. NTR Market, L. B. Nagar Hyderabad, TS – 500963 Know MoreIMFS Madhapur
3rd Floor, SS Estates, near Metro Pillar No. 1727, Megha Hills, Sri Sai Nagar, Madhapur Hyderabad, TS – 500032 Know MoreIMFS Nellore
G4A, Port View Apartments, Muthukur Road, Harinathpuram Nellore, AP – 524003 Know MoreIMFS Warangal
6-8-249, 3rd Floor, beside Shiva Paper & Boards, Chowrastha, Hanamkonda Warangal, TS – 506001 Know More
