What to do when pre-departure panic sets in

So you’re about to depart on a grand adventure - whether it’s studying abroad, working abroad, backpacking through Europe, moving to the far-off land in which you’ve always dreamed of living - and as the countdown shrivels away, your panic grows at a frighteningly rapid pace. You have been planning this trip for months, maybe even years, and the anticipation has brought nothing but sheer excitement. But now that your departure date is visible on the calendar and the reality is setting in, all you can think about is what creative ways you can come up with to get out of the trip altogether. How will you pack for months or years abroad in the humorously limited baggage allowance offered by your airline? How will you function in a culture that doesn’t speak your language? How will you survive without mommy and daddy and all of your childhood best friends by your side? And for God’s sake, what will you do without the Super Bowl, country music, and Thanksgiving!?

Before you start cancelling your plans and coming up with detailed dead pet stories to give you an excuse to stay home, take a deep breath and use the following tips to help keep your cool until you hop the pond.

Remember that the anticipation is the worst part. The days and weeks leading up to an extended trip abroad are the most terrifying part of the whole experience. Because that is when the doubts and what-ifs and how-can-I-fit-everything-in-before-I-go-so-I-don’t-miss-home are all you have left. You’ve booked your flights, applied for your visa, and done your research. Don’t let the restlessness and fear of the unknown completely distort your expectations. Once you arrive at your destination and realize that it’s not so scary after all, the excitement will return, and you will be glad you didn’t back out.

Be prepared. The best way to reduce your fear of the unknown is to reduce the unknown. Do your research about the place you’re headed to. Find out what American amenities will be available and which ones you need to stock up on before you go. Learn a little about the culture and climate and must-see destinations. Talk to anyone you know that has been there. Make a packing list and gather all of your necessary documents. Plan some excursions before you hit the jetway. The more prepared you are, the less anxious you’ll feel. 

Remember that keeping in touch with family and friends is easier than you think. In today’s technologically saturated world, keeping in touch with people around the globe is easier than ever (as long as you can master the time change!). If you are going to be away for more than a few weeks, you will want a way to easily contact home. Most phone plans don’t include international service, so be sure to bring a laptop or tablet with a webcam. If you don’t have one, it’s worth the investment – many tablets are under a couple hundred dollars and will improve your travel experience in countless ways! With Skype, FaceTime, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, email, and many other social media outlets at your fingertips, you’ll hardly feel like you’ll need to catch up with anyone when you go back home. Set up some regular Skype dates with family, and start a Facebook thread with your closest friends. You won’t miss a thing.

Know that you’ll probably be less homesick than you think. If you have ever experienced a sensory overload…welcome to your life abroad. You will be far too preoccupied with the new landscape, climate, wildlife, language, and culture that you will hardly have time to remember that you have a home to miss. Plus, if you stay connected as mentioned above, you won’t yearn for the company of family and friends like you might think you will. And if you make friends and invest yourself where you are, you will start to build a sense of “home” abroad. You might be surprised to find out that you feel most homesick when you hop on your flight home.

Be intentional about investing in your new home and experiencing the culture. If you follow this rule, you won’t have to worry about having a miserable experience. Even a “bad” experience will be a good one. No travel experience is alike, and I know many stories of life-changingly fantastic trips and plenty of not-so-awesome ones. The key to a successful expedition is gaining something – cultural expertise, checks on your bucket list, memories, friends, lessons learned, maturity…it’s all valuable. The worst thing you could do is go home regretting a lonely summer spent in front of your computer screen missing home. Staying connected to home is important, but there is a necessary balance to fending off homesickness and being present in your adventure.

Don’t let other people’s reactions to your plans freak you out. If I had a nickel for every flabbergasted reaction to my not-so-conventional response to the age-old question of “What’s next?”…I could have paid for my travels a few times over by now. I recently graduated college and just got married, and my husband and I are moving to Taiwan for a year. Most people give responses like, “I could never do that” or “You’re so brave!” The kind of responses that stir up the fear in me and make my insides scream, “I’m not brave, I am terrified!” But then every once in awhile, someone will admit, “I wish I would have done something like that when I had the chance” or “I’m so jealous!” And that is what is really behind most people’s reactions. They’re impressed and even a little jealous of your courage, ambition, and the voyage that lies ahead. So let the shocked reactions fuel your sense of adventure and give you an extra boost of excitement!

You may feel like a wreck now, but know that soon, the jumbled mess of emotions and fluttering butterflies that currently lives at the bottom of your stomach will be a distant memory as you snap a few pics of one of the Seven World Wonders that you’re really glad you didn’t miss out on. So, if pre-departure panic is plaguing you, never fear. It will all be worth it in the end!