After many years as a study abroad advisor, I can say with gusto that the majority of students are genuinely interested in finding ways to make their time abroad fulfilling and enriching. Students are the reason I go to work, enjoy my job, and find new challenges… but students also continue to find new ways to stress me out. Today, I discuss the things that many students do that will always be challenging.

Excerpt:

Let me stress that I thoroughly enjoy my job as a study abroad advisor.

(I mean, I have an entire blog dedicated to it.)

It’s never dull, students are (mostly) wonderful, and it keeps me on my toes.

However, there are some things that, no matter what, stress the hell out of me.

If you wish to remain on your study abroad advisor’s good side, here are things to NOT do.

Before: You miss deadlines.

Deadlines exist in study abroad offices for any of the following reasons:

1. You need a visa and the paperwork takes time to procure from overseas.
2. We have to review your application and it makes sense to review all study abroad applications at one time.
3. The deadline is for a scholarship (and missing these deadlines = no money fo’ you).
4. Our partners abroad require things from you (like an application).
5. We want to stress you out and find it fun.

Please don’t miss your deadlines. If you do, be prepared to not go abroad.

It’s that simple.