First Week as an International Student: What Nobody Tells You
Super Admin · 11 Sept 2026
#international student#student life abroad#culture shock#study abroad tips#adjusting abroad
First Week as an International Student: What Nobody Tells You
Everyone tells you about the excitement of studying abroad. Nobody tells you about the awkward first week — the loneliness, the confusion, the cultural adjustments that hit you like a wall.
This is the honest guide to your first week as an international student. It is not meant to scare you — it is meant to prepare you.
Day 1: Arrival and Reality Check
What to Expect
You step off the plane exhausted, disoriented, and overwhelmed. The airport is enormous, the signs are in English (but faster than you are used to), and suddenly you are responsible for navigating a new country alone.
The immigration officer will ask you simple questions ("Why are you here? Where are you staying?"), but your brain will freeze because you are nervous. Practise your answers beforehand.
You will need to buy a SIM card before you can call anyone. Most airports have phone shops — get one immediately.
If you are arriving at night, pre-book your airport transfer. Do not try to figure out public transport at 11 PM with three suitcases.
What to Do
Get a local SIM card (Lebara, Lycamobile, or the university's recommended provider)
Activate your bank account (some allow pre-registration from Pakistan)
Go to your accommodation and unpack. Making your room feel like home helps more than you think.
Call your family. Let them know you arrived safely.
Day 2–3: University Registration and Orientation
Orientation Week
Most universities hold an international student orientation during the first week. This is where you:
Complete enrolment and get your student ID
Set up your university email and online learning platform
Attend talks about academic expectations, health services, and student support
Meet other international students
What nobody tells you:
Orientation is where you make your first friends. Go to everything, even if you feel tired or overwhelmed.
The academic system is very different from Pakistan. Professors expect independent learning, critical thinking, and class participation. Nobody will chase you to submit assignments.
You will need to buy textbooks (or find them online). Check the reading list before classes start.
What to Do
Attend every orientation event — even the boring-sounding ones
Join WhatsApp/Telegram groups for your course and accommodation
Set up your student email and check it daily
Visit the library and learn how to access online journals (you will use them a lot)
Day 4–5: The Practical Stuff
Finding Your Routine
By now, you have figured out how to get to university and back. But there are still a hundred small things to sort out:
Grocery shopping:
Your first grocery trip will take 2 hours. You will not recognise half the products. The prices will shock you.
Budget supermarkets: Aldi, Lidl (UK), Walmart, Aldi (USA), No Frills, FreshCo (Canada)
Your campus will likely have a small shop — convenient but expensive
Cooking:
Most student accommodation has shared kitchens. You will need your own pots, pans, and utensils.
Pakistani grocery stores exist in most UK/US/Canadian cities — search for "Pakistani grocery near me"
Cooking Pakistani food from scratch is possible but time-consuming. Learn 3–4 easy meals before you leave.
Laundry:
Laundry costs money in most student accommodation ($2–$4 per load)
Learn to use the machines before your first load. Ask a flatmate if unsure.
What to Do
Do a big grocery shop on Day 4. Stock up on basics (rice, lentils, spices, pasta, bread, milk, eggs)
Cook your first meal at home — it saves money and helps you settle in
Find the nearest Pakistani/Indian grocery store for spices and specialty items
Learn the laundry schedule — weekdays are usually quieter
Day 6–7: Emotional Adjustment
Culture Shock Is Real
By the end of the first week, the initial excitement fades. You may feel:
Lonely — Even if you made friends at orientation, you miss your family and old friends
Overwhelmed — Everything is new, from how to cross the road to how to talk to people
** homesick** — You crave the food, the language, the familiar chaos of home
Impostor syndrome — "Am I good enough to be here?"
What nobody tells you:
These feelings are completely normal. Almost every international student goes through them.
It typically takes 2–3 months to fully adjust. The first month is the hardest.
Your university has free counselling services. Use them if you need to — there is no shame in it.
How to Cope
Stay connected with home — Schedule regular calls with family
Join student societies — Most universities have Pakistani societies, Muslim societies, and societies for every interest
Explore your city — Visit a new place every weekend. It makes the unfamiliar feel less foreign.
Stay active — Go to the gym, join a sports club, or just walk around campus
Talk to other international students — They are going through the same thing
The Things That Will Surprise You
The Good
People are generally friendly and willing to help
University facilities are incredible (libraries, labs, gyms, counselling)
The academic environment is stimulating and challenging
You will make friends from all over the world
The independence is empowering
The Challenging
The weather (especially in the UK and Canada) is genuinely difficult in winter
The loneliness hits harder than you expected
Cooking, cleaning, and managing money on your own is exhausting at first
Academic standards are high — you will need to work harder than you did at home
The bureaucracy (opening bank accounts, registering with doctors, visa extensions) is slow and confusing
Survival Checklist: Your First Week
Buy a local SIM card
Open a bank account
Register with a local doctor/GP
Buy a transport card (Oyster, Clipper, Presto, etc.)
Do a big grocery shop
Cook your first meal
Attend all orientation events
Join at least one student society
Call home
Explore your neighbourhood on foot
Final Thoughts
Your first week will be one of the hardest weeks of your life. But it is also the beginning of one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. By the end of your first semester, the unfamiliar will feel normal, the loneliness will fade, and you will wonder why you were ever nervous.
At OE Consultants, we help students not just get into universities abroad — we help them prepare for the experience. Contact us for advice on what to expect and how to prepare.
