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  • I'm a Brit who spent 4 months living in the US, and I made 3 crucial mistake when I moved there that I won't make again

I'm a Brit who spent 4 months living in the US, and I made 3 crucial mistake when I moved there that I won't make again

Mikhaila FrielAug 21, 2022, 15:12 IST

Mikhaila Friel spent four months living in the US in 2016.Mikhaila Friel/Insider

  • I studied abroad in the US in 2016 and spent four months living in Pennsylvania.
  • I made many mistakes, like wasting time on tourist activities instead of lesser-known attractions.
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In 2016, I temporarily relocated from my home in Scotland, UK, to Pennsylvania, USA, for a study abroad program.

Mikhaila (front left) and her friends during a visit to Washington, DC.Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I could have saved myself some time and heartache if I had done more research on American household items.

Before arriving in the US, I had no idea what a comforter was.kpakook/Getty Images, EyeEm/Getty Images
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I stuck to touristy activities, but I wish I had gotten to know local neighborhoods.

Mikhaila Friel photographed in NYC in December 2016.Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I didn't do any solo travel while in the US.

Mikhaila and her friends at Millersville.Mikhaila Friel/Insider
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But there were things I did to make my time abroad easier, like choosing a small town over a big city.

The Millersville University campus in Millersville, Pennsylvania.Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I combated homesickness by regularly FaceTiming with my family and writing letters to them.

A stock image of someone writing a letter.iStock/Getty Images
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I decorated my dorm room with mementos from both the UK and the US.

Mikhaila decorated her dorm room with this American flag she got at a baseball game.Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I immersed myself in US college culture.

Mikhaila Friel attended college football games while at Millersville.Mikhaila Friel/Insider
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My experience in the US was wonderful, and that was in part due to the mistakes I made along the way.

Mikhaila Friel in New York City.Mikhaila Friel/Insider
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