Tips to Balance Work and Fun Abroad
By Sabrina sison
Studying in a new country is a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would recommend to everyone, if you have the opportunity. It’s so exciting being here, surrounded by a new culture with a new playground to explore. However, this makes it so much easier to get lost in it all and forget why I’m here: to study. I will admit, I fell into the trap of being on constant vacation mode and I forgot that I still need to study and keep up with school work. I hope you don’t make the same mistake, which is why I’m here to give some advice on juggling work and fun.
To start, this is my schedule:
Tuesday & Thursday: 10:30-11:45am - Introduction to Marketing
Tuesday & Thursday: 4:00-5:15pm - Modern Europe
Tuesday & Thursday: 7:00-8:15pm - Introduction to Macroeconomics
Thursday: 1:00-2:45pm - Political Economy
I stacked my schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays to maximize the amount of time I can travel and explore. I would recommend doing the same if you want to experience as much as possible. However, I will warn you, I am exhausted at the end of the day on Thursdays.
Little me at the Acropolis in Greece :) This has been one of my favorite countries in Europe so far.
Here are some tips from your local traveler and procrastinator:
1. This might be a hot take, but SLEEP. I am a strong supporter of the idea that we won’t be productive or efficient if we’re sleepy. So I try to get at least six to eight hours of sleep every night. If I want to be on my A-game to travel and study, I need to be able to think clearly and not be sleepy. When I take tests, I need to have a full night of rest or else I’ll make simple mistakes that can be avoided.
2. STAY ORGANIZED!!! I would highly recommend using a daily planner to keep track of what you need to do each day and have an idea of what the next week will look like. I also like to color code everything so that it’s easier to visualize. Whether it be reminders on Google Calendar, a spreadsheet with due dates, or a physical planner like I use, make sure you know when everything is due!
3. Make boundaries. Separate work and school from fun activities and enjoy life. Whether you decide to go out to a museum or have dinner with friends or just go on a walk to Covent Garden, don’t stress about what you still need to do for school. Stressing hurts you twice. If you decide to go out, make sure you enjoy it to the fullest.
All three of these pictures were taken in Covent Garden, one of my favorite places in London to walk around and explore because it’s so beautiful and there are always new things to see. I also love walking around Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, which are both near Covent Garden. London is a great place to explore because I’m constantly surprised and finding new pop up exhibitions and installations. TikTok is also a great source to find things to do or places to eat around London :)
4. Schedule time to work. It’s easy to forget you have work to do. Whether you’re in your host city or traveling in another country, set aside a few hours (or however long you need) to finish what you need to do. Take, for example, me right now: I’m currently sitting in Amsterdam writing this blog post. I made sure to set aside time to work on it. In addition to scheduling time, I like to do work while in transit on trains or planes. If I’m not asleep, taking pictures, or reading, I’m probably studying on my iPad.
Here’s me on the train from Salamanca to Madrid. In addition to beautiful pictures of the scenery, I got some Modern Europe readings done.
5. Compromise. This goes along with putting aside time to work but understand that sometimes you’ll have to make sacrifices and compromise time to have fun. If I know I won’t have much time to study in the next few weeks because I’m busy, I’ll stay in and study instead of going out with friends.
6. Listen in class. This might sound obvious, but it’s always a good idea to actively listen and participate in class. It’s easy to zone out and not hear anything, so you need to make it a point to be engaged. If you listen, you have to study half as much as if you were teaching yourself from the book.
7. Take notes both from the book and in class. Even if the book and class cover similar topics, it’s more effective to read the chapter before class and then use class time to clarify anything you didn’t understand. Taking notes also ensures that the information sticks more which will really help when midterms and finals come around.
8. Find your optimal work environment. A lot of my friends and I like to work at cafes. Cafes are a great place to get work done while also exploring the city. Some of my favorite cafes in London to study are Gail’s, Ole and Stein, and Pret a Manger. All three are near the Academic Center, and Pret a Manger has an amazing twenty pounds per month subscription for five drinks a day (and the first month is free).
When the weather was nice, I liked to work outside. This is at a cafe inside Russell Square Park between my dorm and the academic center. I won’t lie though, their drinks were a little pricey…
9. Take breaks. Take time between studying or classes to make sure that you don’t overdo it and exhaust yourself. Both school and traveling are exhausting, so it’s good to remember that sometimes we need a weekend to relax and not do anything extravagant or tiring. If I’m mentally or physically exhausted, I will always be sure to take some time for a nap or a quick Netflix break.
Honestly, these tips are also applicable to studying in New York City. There’s so much to do there and it’s hard not to get distracted. Whether you’re in NYC, London, Florence, or anywhere else around the world, good luck with the work-life balance! You got this!!!
Studying away is really what you make of it. Try to go past your comfort zone and try new things, but of course, don’t overexert yourself :) and remember that you ARE there to study too. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at sas9838@stern.nyu.edu if you have any questions!