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Year Abroad Self-Care Ideas

  1.  Ask for help - reach out to old friends, new friends and family for support.
  2.  Start listening to a new podcast.
  3.  Find something to distract you during your free time - learn a new skill (baking, photography, meditation, painting) or find a part-time job and earn some extra cash.
  4.  Read year abroad blogs- you will discover that other people are going through the exact same experience as you.
  5.  Go on a self-date (a solo cinema trip is intimidating at first but good fun - and no one steals your popcorn!)
  6.  Go for a long walk/run - this gets you outdoors and you discover new areas of your town/city.
  7.   Try to establish a routine.
  8.  Have a good cry if you need it! Everyone does.
  9.  Cook yourself a meal/watch a movie that reminds you of home.
  10. Chat to/visit other Cambridge Year Abroaders - you can hear about other people's experiences and laugh/cry together.
  11. Go away for a day/weekend trip. Always have something in your diary to look forward to.
  12. Organise a dinner party/movie night in with new friends.
  13.  Send letters/postcards home.
  14.  Avoid or deactivate social media for a while- you'll suffer less from FOMO and from the need to constantly be showing everyone what a great time you are having.
  15.  If you want to stay in bed and watch Netflix all day - do it. (Top tip: Download the Cambridge VPN so you can also watch BBC Iplayer)
  16.  Tuck yourself into bed early with a good book once in awhile. You don't need to be out and about 24/7.
  17.  Read for pleasure for the first time since starting uni.
  18.  Join a club (eg: latin dancing/gym classes/yoga)
  19.  Train for marathon (definitely not for everyone but I actually know someone who did this on her year abroad!)
  20.  Do something to cheer yourself up (visit an art gallery/museum/go out for a drink)
  21.  Reach out to tutors/supervisors who you get on well with back in Cambridge.
  22.  Make a list of all the things you want to see/do before the end of the year and plan them into your free time.
  23.  Go out and sit in a coffee shop when you need to get some work or admin done - it feels less lonely than staying at home by yourself.
  24.  If you live in a city - get out and visit the countryside for some nature and fresh air.
  25.  If you can and want to, go home for a weekend! There is no shame in wanting to see your friends and family.
  26.  Dial down your expectations of yourself.