How to Make Friends While Studying Abroad

Most students study abroad with the intent of making new friends and immersing themselves in a new culture and new community. However, many students end up forming a group with other students from their home country and not making the most of the brilliant opportunity they have. The first thing to do when you decide to study abroad is to work on gaining self confidence, and read some news reports on the country you are going too. Give yourself some background knowledge and something to talk about. Then, make sure you know enough of the language to have conversations with others.

When you reach your destination country, remember that you are going to have to put effort into making friends. Local students may seem standoffish, but are probably just waiting for you to break the ice. The first group of students to start with is other international students studying with you. These are students in your situation, and will want to make friends too. You can make a variety of friends from different countries in this way, and find people to socialise with and practise the country's language with.

Next, don't presume that orientation seminars or ice breaker events are pointless, as they are there to help you make friends. Activities such as sticking your name to your head or talking about yourself for two minutes may seem daunting, but will help you make global friendships. Attend a few, and you'll make many friends in a very easy way. Universities hold these events to encourage everyone to make friends, and they are usually tried and tested methods.

If you want to make friends with locals, you will then need to arrange social gatherings outside of university time. Make sure you are always safe and that somebody knows where you are; make sure you aren't wandering alone, and take money and a map. Go to different surroundings, and see who you'll meet there. You might meet friends in malls or clubs, or less obvious places such as coffee shops. Remember that as long as you are friendly and polite most people will respond positively to you, and try talking to different groups of people. Local teenagers will know the best places to hang out, but local adults will know where to get cheap or fresh food, and where student deals are available. However, make sure that you know the customs of the local area, and try not to offend anyone. Watch what you wear and say, and if you are somewhere with strong beliefs, then you should adhere to them. Cover yourself up if necessary, or take off your jewellery. If you meet a special someone, keep public displays to a minimum and research the local laws for your area. In some countries, kissing outside can gain you a caution! Your university should have information on the area if you need some, or try Googling it. You will struggle to make friends if you don't appear to respect the country's boundaries.

Finally, there is nothing wrong with becoming friends with other people from your home country, but don't limit yourself. While you will probably become best friends with someone who is at your Uni, you will miss out on a lot of the pleasures of being a student studying abroad if you don't make the most of the social opportunities it gives you. Remember to use your language skills, take photos and make friends, and you'll have a brilliant time.

Nick Sanders is the owner and founder of Supaproofread.com, an online proofreading and editing services company, specialising in essay editing and proofreading services. You should visit them if you are looking for a essay editor

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How to Make Your First Presentation

Very often, during university, you will be expected to make a presentation of your work, a report or a project. This might be the first time you are making a presentation in front of a group of people, and it's natural to feel worried or nervous. You might be frightened by negative thoughts, a fear of not performing well, or how well you will deliver the presentation.

The key to making a brilliant presentation is a little planning.

First, look at what your presentation needs to convey to its audience. What is the message you want to deliver, and what information needs to accompany it? Think carefully about which words you should use. Make sure your writing is correct, clear and crisp, and that your writing is in chronological order. Your presentation needs to have a first slide, which should attract attention, and feature the title of your presentation. This slide may be on the screen for some time while you are preparing, so make it interesting and relevant.

The next slide should be a summary of the rest of the presentation. Use bullet points or numbers, and stick to the same font throughout. Now it's time for the main presentation. This should be as many slides as you need, but make sure you use each one to its full effect. Too many will make your presentation appear to be dragging on. This is the time to state and back up your main points, and use any images, diagrams or quotations you need. Make sure your argument is as structured, supported and coherent as you would write in an essay.

Next, produce a conclusion. This needs to reference the main findings and results to your main points, and sum everything up. Try to keep it simple, and back yourself up. This is usually followed by a feedback slide, or a questions and answers session. Make sure you know your presentation thoroughly if you allow other students to ask questions, as they may ask something you hadn't thought of.

Next, make sure your presentation is stylish. Check that you have put a warm welcome to everyone who has spent their time to listen to you, and that the main title is viewable for the longest. As you present, start at a consistent pace. Do not hurry at any point, and take note that the recipients are able to make the most of your message. You can judge this by looking at them. Keep your eye contact with them, but do not focus on one person.

After you have concluded, give them a proper chance to clear any doubts. Talk confidently, and state facts. However, don't memorise your entire presentation. A well received presentation needs life and energy, and if you memorise yours it won't have any of these. Not only will you lose your audience, but you will be hard pressed to adapt if you are sticking to a strong mental script. That said, it is a good idea to rehearse in front of flatmates, or parents, and have them sit at the back of the room so you can practise speaking loudly and clearly. Ask for honest feedback when you're finished, and work on what is suggested to you. Keep repeating until you are comfortable giving the presentation.

The last point you should consider is what you'll do if things go wrong. It is always a good idea to take a printed copy of your notes, and a copy of your presentation on a USB flash drive. That way, you're prepared for most situations. Good luck!!

Nick Sanders is the owner and founder of Supaproofread.com, an online proofreading and editing services company, specialising in essay proofreading and editing services. You should visit them if you are looking for a essay proofreader

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Remember, Remember - What You Need to Remember During Your Exams

Examinations are a regular part of school and university life. They aim to find out exactly how much you know about different subjects, and how well you can manipulate this information to answer a given question. Most of the knowledge you need will have been taught to you several times before you take the exam, but most students still get stressed and don't perform as well as they could do during exam time.

The first thing to remember is that you need a revision plan. A few months before your exam, find your course list and make your own list of everything you need to know. Then, draw up a timetable that will allow you to study every module. Give shorter amounts of time to the parts you know, and longer amounts to anything you struggle with or don't understand. Print practise exam questions and make sure you have neat notes. Draw mind maps or rewrite your notes, do whatever it takes for you to revise the information so it is fresh in your mind. Aim to finish learning all the modules two weeks before the exam. Take the rest of the time to do more practice papers, mark them and repeat revision on any areas you get wrong.

For each subject, make sure you know your exam paper before you go in. How many questions will the paper have on it? How many of these are you required to answer? How much time do you have in total, and how much does that give you to answer each question? Use this information to plan how long you have to read the paper, decide what you want to answer and check your answer afterwards. Make sure you know whether to expect short answers, multiple choice, structured questions or essays. Also, consider if some questions are compulsory and where you can get most of your marks from.

The day before, reduce stress by knowing where the exam is, what time it starts, what you need to take it, what you aren't allowed to take in with you, and what you are expected to wear. Some universities will make you take anything with pockets off, whilst others require see-through pencil cases.

When you get into the exam, read the question two or three times and highlight the key words. Brainstorm the question and see how much you know, and relate the information you come up with, back to the question. Arrange these points logically, and start to write your answer. Make sure you reach a conclusion and summarise what you have written, and then review your work. Make sure you are writing clearly and coherently, and start with the question you feel most confident about answering. Look at how many marks each question is worth and aim to make that amount of points. Remember to check your spelling and use punctuation.

It's important to remember that you aren't expected to write everything you know about a topic. You will attract many more marks if you are selective about the information you use and you actually answer the question asked. Make sure that whatever you write has an introduction and a conclusion and makes sense. Remember that you don't get any marks for questions you don't even attempt.

After the exam, avoid talking about it outside. It's easy to convince yourself you did badly if you listen to the evidence of others. Remember that there is more than one way to answer a question! Use your performance to tweak your exam technique. If you ran out of time, make sure you leave more time during the next exam. If you didn't know enough, look at how much and how effectively you revised. Did you answer the question? Then forget about the exam and concentrate on the next one, knowing you did your best!

Nick Sanders is the owner and founder of Supaproofread.com, an online proofreading and editing services company, specialising in essay proofreading and editing. You should visit them if you are looking for essay proofreader.

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7 Tips in Surviving As an International Student

Survival in any university, in this competitive world, does become difficult for most international students. When it comes to surviving as an international student, almost everyone feels the heat. A student tends to feel the pinch when it comes to survival in a foreign location. There are a lot of problems a student faces while studying abroad. In the following sections we will be discussing the top seven magical tips for survival as an international student, when you are studying abroad.

1. Adjustment to the Environment - The most difficult job for an international student is to adjust to the new environment. This includes adjustment to the climatic conditions. Most students fail to adjust to such climatic conditions, and you should be mentally prepared for the different situations that you will be experiencing. The next adjustment will be towards the work culture and what is involved. Every place has its own work culture, though most do tend to differ from a 'set' environment. This is something to which you can achieve with a great deal of practice.
2. Balancing your life - The next problem faced by most students is by making a balance in their lives. By balance, I mean maintaining equilibrium between your studies, sports, other activities, rest and meals. Most students tend to miss their meals and recreational activities, and some absences can cause an impact on your health. As you will know, a sound mind resides in a sound body, and you should try to maintain a balance between all of these parameters - keeping both your body and your mind active.
3. Attitude - You should maintain a positive attitude. By positive attitude, I mean you should be optimistic; you should look at every situation positively. Don't let a situation dishearten you, and in spite of the failure, if any, don't stop your hard work. Remember that, sooner or later, hard work is always going to get its due reward. I know you are good and you can do it.
4. Dealing with personal issues - You should deal with your personal issues. Most of the time, things don't go as expected. It's better to solve any personal issues that do indeed arise. You can do the following things:
   1. Consult your supervisor.
   2. Consult your doctor.
   3. Get the issue resolved by sharing it with a friend.
5. Know the system - You should know the system, by knowing the University's rules and regulations. You can't ignore these rules. Carefully read the University schedules and calendar, and particularly look out for the following things:
   1. CGPA requirements.
   2. Method of its calculation
   3. Your rights and responsibilities.
   4. Deadlines.
6. Manage Time - Try to manage your time in an efficient manner. Plan your schedule and make a timetable, and try to achieve your goals in small steps. Success does not come in abundance, and it is those small steps of yours which, when followed for a long time, can give you a successful career.
7. Set goals - It is a very important tip, as this decision of yours will decide your future. Have a clear view of your goals. Remember that you cannot achieve success until you have a specified your goals in life. To have a clear view of your goals, ask yourself these questions:
   1. What is my desired destination in 4 - 5 years?
   2. How will I get there?
   3. Can my present studies take me there?
   4. What are the other things I need to do?
   5. What are the obstacles in my way?

Try to solve your problems by following these tips, and see your career achieve great measures. Finally, be a good citizen, as you are representing your country. Your country's pride is in your hand.

Nick Sanders is the owner and founder of Supaproofread.com, an online proofreading and editing services company, specialising in essay proofreading and editing services. You should visit them if you are looking for a essay proofreader

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