五月天视频

At 五月天视频, we鈥檙e proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our students鈥攂oth inside and outside the classroom. One of our own, M谩ria Nyolcas, a third-year BS in Computer Science student at our Madrid campus, has channeled her international student experience into something truly meaningful: a powerful new book titled The Truths of Being an International Student: Adapting, Surviving, Thriving.

Originally from Budapest, Hungary, M谩ria offers a deeply personal and refreshingly honest look at what it really means to study abroad鈥攖he culture shocks, the identity shifts, the small wins, and the uncertainty that comes with stepping into the unknown. In the chapter excerpted below, "Are You Ready? Unveiling the Concept of Readiness for International Students," she shares what she learned when things didn鈥檛 go as planned鈥攁nd how that very lack of 鈥渞eadiness鈥� helped shape who she is today.

You can explore more of M谩ria鈥檚 insights and

Are You Ready? Unveiling the Concept of Readiness for International Students

As I reflect on my journey as an international student, there鈥檚 one question that kept echoing in my mind: 鈥淎re you ready?鈥� It came from all corners鈥攖eachers, family, friends, and even acquaintances I barely knew. While it was meant to be supportive, a way to check if I had mentally and physically prepared for the journey ahead, the question left me increasingly unsettled. What does it even mean to be 鈥渞eady鈥�? And if I鈥檓 honest, I could never quite answer it in the way I thought I should.

The truth is, I wasn鈥檛 ready. And that鈥檚 what made the journey so transformative. The purpose of this book, The Truths of Being an International Student, is not to offer you all the answers or make you feel fully prepared for what鈥檚 ahead. Instead, it鈥檚 to guide you through this uncertain and unpredictable journey, reflecting not only my own experiences but also the heartfelt conversations I鈥檝e had with fellow students from around the world.

I鈥檓 fortunate to have had the luxury of easily hopping on a short flight back home, avoiding the loneliness that comes with spending holidays like Christmas abroad. But even with that advantage, the challenges I faced鈥攁nd thought I had prepared for鈥攈it me unexpectedly, often when I least anticipated them.

The Myth of Readiness

The concept of 鈥渞eadiness鈥� in our society is vague. Are we talking about truly being prepared? Or is it more about taking the leap, diving in, and leaving behind the life we knew? I thought I was ready to handle life on my own. But during my first 24 hours abroad, reality hit me hard. I dropped my phone and cracked the screen for the first time, spent twenty minutes trying to find my driver by mixing Italian, English, and a pinch of (broken) 聽Spanish, and endured a rainy walk to orientation without an umbrella鈥攂ecause, of course, I thought I wouldn鈥檛 need one in sunny Spain.

However, those were just the logistical challenges. There were much deeper struggles I wasn鈥檛 prepared for鈥攖he feeling of belonging to nowhere and everywhere at the same time. When your new life abroad is everything you dreamed of, yet reality knocks on your door with unexpected hardships, it can feel surreal. The life you left behind at home starts to fade, and you feel like a software update on a device鈥攕till you, but changed in language, region, and perspective. You start to experience this 鈥渄ouble agent鈥� reality, where you live between two worlds, but you can鈥檛 easily explain it to anyone because only someone living the same experience can truly understand.

The Duality of Identity

I wasn鈥檛 ready to leave behind the life I knew and then build a new one while holding on to the old. I hadn鈥檛 anticipated how difficult it would be to navigate between two worlds where everything鈥攍anguage, culture, and even thought processes鈥攆elt different. There were times when I felt more aligned with the culture of my new home, yet the clash of my old identity and the new one was an ongoing struggle.

What鈥檚 more, I wasn鈥檛 prepared to experience the bittersweetness of calling a place 鈥渉ome鈥� when you鈥檙e only visiting. I hadn鈥檛 anticipated missing Madrid, a city I had come to love, as much as I did. I wasn鈥檛 ready to face the inner turmoil of wondering whether to stay in this new reality or return to my roots. To start fresh again or to hold on to the life I grew up with. The constant pull between two places, two identities, can feel like a tug-of-war within yourself.

Accepting the Uncertainty

I was not ready for many things, but over time, I鈥檝e come to accept that I may never truly be. And that, in itself, is the beauty of the journey. You won鈥檛 be ready鈥攂ut that鈥檚 exactly what makes this experience so transformative. The truth is, readiness isn鈥檛 something you can achieve before you leave. It unfolds gradually as you learn, adapt, and embrace the unpredictable nature of life abroad.

Tips for Navigating the Journey of Readiness

While you may not feel fully ready for everything, there are key principles that can help guide you as you navigate this uncertainty:

• Embrace Uncertainty: The unknown is scary, but it鈥檚 also where the magic happens. Don鈥檛 let the fear of the unknown hold you back. Embrace it, and trust that you鈥檒l figure things out as you go.
• Be Patient with Yourself: You鈥檙e going to make mistakes. You鈥檙e going to feel lost and confused at times. That鈥檚 okay. Give yourself permission to learn and grow at your own pace.
• Build a Support System: Whether it鈥檚 fellow students, locals, or even online communities, find people who can support you. Don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out and connect with others. You鈥檙e not alone.
• Celebrate Small Wins: Every small victory, no matter how insignificant it might seem, is a step forward. Celebrate those moments鈥攖hey鈥檙e the building blocks of your journey.
• Stay Open-Minded: Be open to new experiences, new cultures, and new perspectives. The more open you are, the richer your experience will be.

Conclusion: Trust the Process

This book is not about making you feel prepared for every twist and turn that comes with studying abroad. It鈥檚 about understanding that uncertainty is part of the process. You won鈥檛 have all the answers, but you will discover along the way that you鈥檙e capable of more than you ever thought. You won鈥檛 be ready鈥攂ut by the time the journey is over, you will have become the person you were meant to be.