{"id":4714,"date":"2020-03-05T08:22:24","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T08:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/?p=4714"},"modified":"2022-04-13T15:42:18","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:42:18","slug":"a-year-abroad-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/a-year-abroad-and-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"A Year Abroad And&#8230; Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This blog is going to be the first in a weekly series. Each week I will write about topics that nearly stopped me going on my year abroad and how they have shaped my experience for the better or the worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/Boat-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/Boat-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/Boat-450x338.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/Boat-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/Boat.jpg 1252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I knew before I came to Canada that I wanted to write this particular blog post but, as you can imagine from the title, it&#8217;s not exactly an easy one to write!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As lots of you will already know, I suffer from bad anxiety and also depression.  In Feb-March 2019, it got to a point where I was having a really hard time coping with University life due to my mental health issues: I was struggling to meet deadlines, attend doctors appointments and even interact with my flatmates and friends. Naturally, everybody around me was asking &#8216;if you feel like this in Cardiff, where all your family and friends are- how are you going to cope in Canada?&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I began to doubt myself. After so many years of being desperate to do a year abroad, I started to question whether it was the best thing for me. It was then that my ambitious, and slightly stubborn, side kicked in- I wasn&#8217;t going to give up on my dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, off I went to Vancouver- telling myself that this year would be better and, in general, it has. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I won&#8217;t say that this year has been easy, it&#8217;s hasn&#8217;t. There have been days where I haven&#8217;t been able to leave my room; days where I have felt so lonely I couldn&#8217;t cope and days where I have had numerous panic attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There have also been days where I have felt on top of the world; days where I felt so proud of myself I have cried and days where I have just walked around and taken in the incredible country I am lucky enough to live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/tree-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4715\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/tree-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/tree-450x338.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/tree-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/03\/tree.jpg 1252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I will say that my year abroad has probably been much more difficult than it probably is for the average person however I am so glad that I did it because this experience has been so rewarding and has changed my life for the better. I have made great friends, I&#8217;m getting good grades (that I&#8217;m working my socks off for!) and I&#8217;ve found a part-time job I love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All in all, if you are in the same situation as I was last year- debating whether a year abroad really is the best thing for you, obviously I can&#8217;t tell you what is best for you, but I say do it. If I can, then you can!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three Things I am looking forward to tomorrow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A lie in!<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2. Talking to Sam<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3.New episode of Drag Race!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are a Cardiff Student who feels like they need help, do not hesitate to reach out. Check out Cardiff University Support for available resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cardiff.ac.uk\/study\/student-life\/student-support\/counselling-and-wellbeing\">https:\/\/www.cardiff.ac.uk\/study\/student-life\/student-support\/counselling-and-wellbeing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This blog is going to be the first in a weekly series. Each week I will write about topics that nearly stopped me going on my year abroad and how [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1720,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[269],"tags":[409,228,267,262,488,487,309,400,449,443,197],"class_list":["post-4714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international-exchange","tag-anxiety","tag-canada","tag-cardiff-earth","tag-cardiff-university","tag-depression","tag-mental-health","tag-study-abroad","tag-ubc","tag-ubceoas","tag-uk","tag-year-abroad"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4QQbz-1e2","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3741,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/applying-for-a-year-abroad-my-story\/","url_meta":{"origin":4714,"position":0},"title":"Applying for a year abroad- my story","author":"Niamh O'Reilly","date":"August 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my major inspirations for studying Geology was the opportunity to travel- this dream has finally come true! This is due to some very hard work and a pinch of good luck. My A-Levels weren\u2019t what I expected, and I ended up at Cardiff through clearing (best thing that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;International Placements&quot;","block_context":{"text":"International Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/international-exchange\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2019\/08\/Flight.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2019\/08\/Flight.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2019\/08\/Flight.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2019\/08\/Flight.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5125,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/niamh-oreilly\/","url_meta":{"origin":4714,"position":1},"title":"Niamh O&#8217;Reilly","author":"GO Student Ambassadors","date":"January 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"School of Earth and Environmental Sciences International Exchange Placement Where did you go? University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada What motivated you to take up a year abroad? I've had a desire to study abroad from a young age, enhance my CV and experience a different culture. What were your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;GO Student Ambassadors&quot;","block_context":{"text":"GO Student Ambassadors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/go-student-ambassadors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/12\/hockey-2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/12\/hockey-2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/12\/hockey-2-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/12\/hockey-2-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2020\/12\/hockey-2-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5781,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/incoming-karis-from-simon-fraser-university-canada\/","url_meta":{"origin":4714,"position":2},"title":"Incoming Exchange &#8211; Karis from Simon Fraser University, Canada","author":"Global Opportunities","date":"February 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Karis: Incoming Exchange Student Home institution: Simon Fraser University, Canada Subjects studied: Marketing, Branding and Promotional Cultures in Television, and creative and cultural industries. Tell us about yourself and what motivated you to take up a year\/semester abroad in Cardiff? I am in my third year of my four year\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Incoming Students at Cardiff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Incoming Students at Cardiff","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/incoming-students-at-cardiff\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/02\/IMG_0764_Karis-Adams-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5935,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/incoming-exchange-annika-from-queens-university-canada\/","url_meta":{"origin":4714,"position":3},"title":"Incoming Exchange \u2013 Annika from Queen&#8217;s University, Canada","author":"Global Opportunities","date":"April 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Annika: Incoming Exchange Student Home institution: Queen's University, Canada Subjects studied: History and English What motivated you to take up a semester abroad in Cardiff? 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It seemed super\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Incoming Students at Cardiff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Incoming Students at Cardiff","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/incoming-students-at-cardiff\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/04\/IMG_1795_Annika-Putnam-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6068,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/reverse-homesickness-missing-the-home-you-made-on-your-year-abroad\/","url_meta":{"origin":4714,"position":4},"title":"Reverse Homesickness: Missing the home you made on your year abroad","author":"Shaquille Qassim","date":"October 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Unpacking my suitcase back in my family home, the rain pattering against the window like an old friend, I expected relief. 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I studied marketing at a summer programme at UBC Canada. This involved 7 weeks spent in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;International Summer Programmes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"International Summer Programmes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/summer-programmes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2025\/06\/IMG_3501-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"meta_box":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1720"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4714"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4750,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4714\/revisions\/4750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}