While there are many positive aspects of studying abroad—learning a new language, getting to live and travel in another part of the world, and having the opportunity to make friends with people from all around the globe—it’s obviously not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes, everyday life while you’re abroad can be difficult. So, here are some tips on how to cope with the more negative aspects of studying abroad so that you can make the most of your experience.

1) Set realistic expectations for yourself and your experience

We all have things that we expect of ourselves and of our host country when we go abroad, and one of the easiest ways to become discouraged or disappointed when living abroad is when you unknowingly set the bar too high in your mind for both yourself and your host country. As a result, many study abroad orientation leaders or study abroad alumni will tell you that it’s better to just “have no expectations” when you’re abroad.

While having “no expectations” when going abroad is ideal, it’s not easy, and it’s also not realistic advice to say you should have absolutely zero expectations in mind when going to another country. We all like to imagine what our lives abroad will be like and daydream about all of the cool things we’ll get to see, do, and try when we’re abroad.

So, that’s why, rather than pressuring yourself to have “no expectations,” it’s better to try to set realistic expectations for yourself and your study abroad experience.

For example, rather than thinking, “I want to become fluent in Chinese by the end of the year,” it’s better to set smaller and more attainable goals for yourself, such as, “I’d like to be able to hold a basic conversation with the locals in Chinese by the end of the year,” or, “I’d like to be able to write an essay in Chinese by the end of the year.”

The same can be said for other things, such as making friends or traveling, which we all hope to be able to do while we’re abroad, but sometimes it doesn’t always work out the way we hope. Rather than thinking, “I want to make a bunch of friends in my host country,” you should try to think, “I want to find at least one person I connect with,” or, “I want to find someone who’s willing to go sightseeing or traveling with me,” or, “I want to find a language partner who I can do language exchange with.”

In other words, setting realistic expectations and easily attainable goals for yourself will help keep you from feeling discouraged or disappointed while you’re abroad, and it can also help you make the most of your time there.

2) Talk about it with other people who are there

While it can be tempting to want to Skype or message friends and family back home whenever you’re feeling down in your host country, too much contact with people in your home country can sometimes make you feel worse and make it harder for you to adjust to your life abroad. What’s more, while talking to friends, family, and other people back home can be a nice escape once in a while, ultimately, they can’t actually do anything to help you there and now. Also, more often than not, they can’t exactly relate or empathize with your experiences either, which can make you feel more alone and homesick.

That’s why it’s better to try and find people who you can talk with in your host country. Whether it’s other exchange students or foreigners, people affiliated with your school’s international center, or people who are involved with your study abroad program, there are usually people who you can talk to in your host country about what you’re going through.

Sometimes, just venting to other people, relating your experiences with other foreigners, or even talking to locals who’ve been abroad before and can empathize with you can help you to feel less isolated.

Additionally, talking it over with other people can give you different perspectives and a better understanding of your experiences abroad. Whether it’s culture shock, homesickness, or personal issues, chances are, if you open up and talk about it, you will find that you’re not alone and that there are other people who can relate or feel the same way that you do.

3) Try to find a few positive things and focus on making the most of those things

Finding the silver lining isn’t always easy, but it can sometimes be necessary when trying to cope with negative experiences while abroad. This goes hand-in-hand with setting realistic expectations for yourself and your study abroad experience. We all hope that our study abroad experiences will be amazing and life-changing, and, for some people, they are.

For others, though, it doesn’t always work out that way for one reason or another. But, that’s okay.

On the one hand, maybe your school life abroad is disappointing, you feel like the locals are rude and disinterested, you can’t do as much traveling as you hoped to, or you’re having a harder time making friends than you thought you would. However, on the other hand, maybe you live in a really cool city with lots of fun nightlife or tourist attractions that you can try to go to. Maybe there are some foods or drinks that you get to have regularly that you won’t be able to eat or drink back home. Maybe there are some stores, restaurants, or places you like to hangout at that you know you’ll miss when you’re gone. Maybe there are some interesting festivals coming up that you look forward to and plan to take part in. Maybe you enjoy cooking with some of your dormmates or going out for drinks on the weekends.

Rather than focusing on broad and big-picture impressions, try to focus more on the little things that make your life abroad fun or unique, or things that you will miss when you’re gone. Whatever it is that gets you through the day, try to focus on those things and make them a priority in your life while you’re abroad.

4) Do your research and ask questions

Researching and informing yourself about your host country and host culture is one of the best ways to avoid disappointment and lessen the culture shock you’re experiencing abroad. If you know what to expect beforehand, you can better prepare yourself for life in your host country.

Sometimes, simply knowing what’s likely to happen can help you better cope when you’re confronted with it.

However, even if you do your research beforehand, there will still always be things about your host city, country, or culture that you didn’t know about and that can irritate or confuse you. If there’s something that you notice that bothers you, try to ask other foreigners if they’ve noticed the same thing, or ask any locals you know what the reason is behind those things.

Even if you can’t change the way things are, sometimes simply knowing why things are the way they are or identifying why certain things bother you can help you deal with them better. Additionally, you can potentially learn something new about your host country or even about your own country and culture.

5) Be present in the moment

As tempting as it is to want to Skype with friends and family back home when you’re abroad, especially when you’re feeling down or homesick, or to fall into escapist habits like watching Netflix online, such tendencies can actually make it harder for you to adjust to life in your host country. The best antidote for when you’re having a difficult time abroad is to try to be present in the moment as much as possible.

Being present means keeping yourself as busy as possible and trying to do as many things as you can while you’re abroad.

Not only will staying busy help keep you from feeling homesick or isolated in your host country, but it’s also the best way to make the most of your time studying abroad. Even if you’re not super keen on the idea, doing something is always better than just sitting in your room doing nothing.

Try to fill your life with as many activities and distractions as possible in your host country, be it joining a club or some other kind of extracurricular activity, finding a language exchange partner you can practice with once a week, making it a point to go visit nearby tourist attractions every weekend, learning to cook some of your host country’s dishes, or going out to eat with your classmates or other exchange students. Take advantage of whatever opportunities are available to you, or create your own opportunities to do something if none present themselves to you.

If you’re busy and engaged while you’re abroad, not only will it be easier for you to forget about being homesick or to ignore the feelings of FOMO, but you will also feel more fulfilled with your experience and will have a lot more pictures and memories to share when you go back home.

6) Remember that everything is temporary

When you’re having a difficult time abroad, it’s easy to feel like everything in your home country is better than it actually is and to feel like it will be forever before you get to go back home.

However, it’s important to remind yourself that studying abroad is a temporary experience, so you will go home eventually, and all of the things and people you miss will still be there when you get back.

Ultimately, your life abroad, even if it isn’t exactly easy or ideal, is something that you won’t be able to do again—at least not in the same way. For better or for worse, all of the good and bad things you’re experiencing while you’re abroad will come to an end, usually sooner than you realize. So, keep that in mind when you’re enduring the negative things, and try to appreciate and enjoy the positive things while you still can because you may not get to relive them again.