Your first week abroad: a survival checklist
The first week of an exchange sets the tone for the whole semester — and it's also the most chaotic. New city, a pile of admin, no routine, and nobody you know yet. This checklist gets the essentials out of the way fast, so you spend week one meeting people instead of drowning in paperwork.
Why week one matters so much
Two things happen fast in your first week abroad. The admin — registration, enrolment, a SIM, a bank card — has deadlines and queues, and ignoring it early creates stress later. And the social side moves even faster: friend groups largely form in the first two or three weeks while everyone is still new and open. Clear the essentials quickly and you free yourself to focus on the part that actually makes or breaks an exchange — the people.
If you haven't arrived yet, pair this with our guide on how to make friends before you arrive — the head start makes week one dramatically easier.
The 8-point first-week checklist
-
Land prepared
Arrive with your address saved offline, a clear plan to get from the airport, offline maps, and enough local cash or a working card for day one. Sort the friction before you're tired and jet-lagged, not after.
-
Clear the legal admin first
City/residence registration, your residence permit or visa steps, and university enrolment usually have deadlines and long queues. Book the appointments in your first days so nothing blocks your enrolment, grant, or housing later.
-
Sort money and connectivity
Get a local SIM or eSIM and make sure you can pay and receive money — a local bank account or a multi-currency card. Being reachable and able to pay quietly unlocks everything else.
-
Get your transport set up
Buy the student travel card or monthly pass and learn your route to campus. Cheap, confident movement around the city makes you far more likely to say yes when something comes up.
-
Go to every orientation and welcome event
Welcome week, faculty intros, ESN parties and city tours are the easiest place you'll ever meet people — everyone is new and looking to connect. Treat them as non-optional, even when you're tired.
-
Turn pre-arrival contacts into real meetups
If you connected with people before arriving, message them now and lock in a coffee or a walk in the first days. Haven't yet? It's not too late — Exchange Connect lets you find other students in your city and arrange to meet.
-
Learn your neighbourhood
Find your nearest supermarket, pharmacy and a café you like, and walk your campus route once before classes start. A few familiar landmarks turn a strange city into "home" surprisingly fast.
-
Commit to one regular thing
Join one club, sports team, or language tandem that meets weekly before the week is out. A recurring activity is what converts first-week acquaintances into real friendships.
Rule of thumb: spend the first half of the week on admin (steps 1–4) and the second half on people (steps 5–8). Don't let the paperwork eat the part you'll actually remember.
If it feels overwhelming
Feeling homesick or out of your depth in week one is completely normal — new language, new everything, and no routine yet. It fades fast. The cure isn't waiting it out alone; it's the checklist above: get the essentials handled, learn your patch of the city, and put two or three plans in your calendar. Momentum beats homesickness.
FAQ
What should I do on my very first day abroad?
Get to your accommodation, sort a local SIM or eSIM and basic groceries, and take a short walk to find your nearest supermarket and pharmacy. Keep day one light — you'll have more energy for admin and meeting people once you've slept.
What admin do I need to sort in my first week abroad?
Usually city or residence registration, any residence-permit or visa steps, university enrolment, a local SIM, a way to pay (local bank or multi-currency card), and a student transport pass. Many have deadlines or long queues, so book appointments early in the week.
How do I meet people in my first week abroad?
Go to every orientation and welcome event, message anyone you connected with before arriving and turn it into a real meetup, and join one weekly club, sport or language tandem. Everyone is new in week one, so it's the easiest time to make friends. See our guide on making friends before you arrive.
How long does it take to settle in on exchange?
Most students feel settled within two to three weeks. The first week is the steepest — once your admin is done, you know your neighbourhood, and you have a couple of regular plans, it gets much easier quickly.
Is it normal to feel overwhelmed or homesick in the first week?
Completely normal. New city, new language, lots of admin and no routine yet — almost everyone feels it. It fades fast as you build a routine and meet people, which is why getting the essentials and a few plans sorted early helps so much.
Don't spend week one alone.
Exchange Connect helps you meet other students in your destination city — before you arrive and during those first days. Free on iPhone & Android.
Get Exchange Connect