8 Erasmus myths
Published by Lucy Walker | 6 years ago
You've heard all about Erasmus before, mostly good of course, but it's still a daunting time of your life, so we're laying out the most common myths about Erasmus - and busting them - to put your mind at rest before you arrive!
- “It will be like a movie, we’ll go to parties every night and I’ll meet my perfect future husband/wife!” OK, you’ll go to parties, but not EVERY night - you’ll need to study a bit. And as for the future husband or wife… who knows. This article suggests that over a quarter of Erasmus students will meet their true love while studying abroad!
Photo by Michael Discenza on Unsplash
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“Every moment will be unforgettable!” Don’t get us wrong - your Erasmus memories stay with you for life, but unless your Erasmus semester is on a Hollywood set, this is real life, and you’re bound to have some less busy moments. However, as we know, boredom breeds creativity. So if you find yourself in a quiet moment, why not write about your experience? Other Erasmus students - and your future self - will thank you for it!
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“I won’t understand a word anyone says!” Give yourself some credit - you’ll understand SOME of the local dialect! And you’ll meet people from all over the world, not just the city where you’re studying. They say that if you can understand Geordie, you can understand any English accent! Try to find the equivalent in your country. In fact, the much-loved famous Newcastle dialect may be the closest to Anglo-Saxon and has a lot in common with our neighbours the Norwegians. Look out for some useful Geordie words coming soon to our blog.
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“I’ll miss everything at home and my friends will forget about me” Don’t worry - your friends at home are probably thinking the same thing about you. Stay in touch with them, invite them to visit, make the most of the weak Pound and buy them gifts! You’ll have so much to talk about when you see them again. Home will still be there when you return, but Erasmus is once in a lifetime. Plus, absence really does make the heart grow fonder, o if you’re leaving the love of your life at home, remember: if it’s meant to be, it WILL be!
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“The classes will be really tough” You’re studying a subject you already know, so really you’re just learning from a different perspective, and perfecting your English at the same time! It might not be easy, but nothing good was ever easy.
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“Everyone will be drinking and partying every night” In Newcastle, there will always be people partying. But you don’t have to take part in this every night! Some nights are more popular with students, and you will decide from the beginning with your roommates when you’ll have quiet time and when you’re in the party mood.
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“Living with people from different cultures will be really hard” Interesting, yes. Hard, no. You’ll find that you all do things differently, so go into it with an open mind, be prepared to experience new ways of living, and to share your culture with your roommates. And make the most of those pot-luck dinners! You’ll realise that your way of doing things is not the only way, you’ll all learn from each other.
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“I’ll forget my own language” OK, this is a half-myth. Because if you start to forget your own language, you must be doing something right! The magic moment is the day you wake up and you’ve been dreaming in English. But you can still use your native language productively, especially because you’ll need it when you return to your country after Erasmus! Attend language conversation meetups with British students, so you can help each other in a constructive, supportive way, and enjoy the moments when you accidentally use a British phrase in your own language!
Photo by Alexis Brown