The first time you leave your home country to live and study abroad, you never forget it! For many, it is also the first time we travel alone, so there is a lot of anxiety involved!

To help you deal with the anxiety until your dream trip arrives, I've separated 7 infallible tips to deal with this anxiety and be 100% prepared at the time of departure.

1. Be prepared

There are several things you can do before you travel to ensure a less turbulent experience.

For instance:

2. Pack Carefully

Nothing worse than that feeling that you are forgetting something.

With a student exchange it can be even worse, because you want to be prepared for a trip of several months in a country that probably does not have all the products and clothes exactly as you like and are used to.

To make things worse, we tend to leave packing until closer to the travel date, which is when we are busiest trying to enjoy every last second with friends and family that we won't see for a while.

To avoid even greater pre-trip tension, it is worth starting the suitcase planning at least two weeks before the trip, already deciding which clothes and shoes will go and making sure they are washed and will not be used for the many farewells ahead.

Check the climate of the country you are going to and if it is worth buying certain things like coats and boots on your country. Join groups of students who are there and ask what they recommend you bring.

Make a list of everything that needs to be bought to put in your suitcase. this also helps to deal with anxiety.

And finally, don't forget to confirm what is the authorized weight for your flight and weigh your bags, this is very important to avoid stress at the airport. In general, international flights from Brazil allow up to two checked bags of 23kg and one handbag of up to 10kg.

Remember, if you are not going to the African savannah, there is probably shampoo and deodorant there, as well as clothes and shoes. So if you forget something, it's not the end of the world.

3. Accept that anxiety is human

It sounds silly. But when we accept that anxiety is a natural response of the body and its symptoms are part of years of human evolution, it doesn't seem so scary anymore.

Feeling anxiety is normal, the important thing is not to let it dominate our lives to the point where we can no longer concentrate or act.

4. Replace bad thoughts

Instead of focusing on all the things that can go wrong, mentalize how you will get out of the situations that are afflicting you, really focus on "how I will solve this problem if it happens". Once your brain considers that situation mastered, most likely the anxiety generated by the possible occurrence of the situation will decrease drastically.

Try to find realistic answers, don't say "ah, it will be okay" and try to put the anxiety in the back of your mind, that will only make it come back even worse.

Obviously I'm not telling you to think of everything that can go wrong! But if you have a specific fear that makes you break out in a cold sweat, try to face it head-on and understand how you can get out of the situation, should it occur.

5. Distract yourself, preparing for the adventure

Before letting anxiety take over your brain, look for distractions that can help you feel more secure.

Watch videos on YouTube about your destination and experiences of other travelers, it helps you better understand the culture, the differences, and even the types of hazards you may experience. Feeling more prepared for what lies ahead, you will have less anxiety.

Look for online language classes or series that help you practice the language of the country you are going to. Being confident (even if only a little) in your communication skills helps a lot when it comes to controlling your nerves.

6. Keeping an Eye on Breathing

That old story of "Close your eyes and count to 10" really works! When you are feeling overwhelmed by the emotions of saying goodbye to family and friends, packing, thinking about all the details, and still anticipating what might happen in this new chapter of your life, RES-PI-RE.

Stopping for a few seconds and concentrating only on our breathing is a technique used to calm people since the beginning of human history, and it certainly works for you too!

If you want to go further, it is worth looking into yoga breathing techniques, such as Pranayama.

7. Physical Exercises

Anxiety and tension generate a lot of energy in our body. When channeled in the wrong way, this energy can turn us into a bomb of feelings and emotional lack of control. All generated by anxiety.

One of the best ways to combat these effects is to exercise. They produce endorphins, and help to burn off accumulated energy.

If you don't want to stop thinking about your student exchange even then, you can listen to podcasts while cycling or running, your topic of the moment is still there, but you are also letting out a little bit of anxiety.

One thing is very important at this time, not to forget that you are making a dream come true! It is easy to get lost in the anguish of what could go wrong and the longing for those who are left behind, but this anxiety must not be greater than the joy and excitement of living an unforgettable experience in your life!