Staying connected to home while in the UK
Written by admin - 01/11/2016
Updated 23 July 2024 by Advisor Brittany.
One of the hardest parts of first arriving in the UK is missing family and friends. Luckily, technology is constantly evolving to bring new ways to stay connected anywhere in the world. It's now easier than ever to speak to anyone whenever we want (just don't forget about the timezone differences)! Utilizing these tools will help you battle early stages of homesickness and remain present with your friends and family back home. When our Across the Pond Advisors studied abroad, the majority found the easiest communication tool was Facebook, followed by WhatsApp- both will be discussed in more detail below, but before that here is some information on getting your phone set up.
Getting a Phone
If you have an unlocked phone at home already, all you need to do is get a British SIM card. Some low-cost, no contract phone providers in the UK even offer their SIM cards for free. Plans typically range from £10-£20 a month ($20-$30 CAD) and include all the features you might need. Each month you can decide which ‘goodybag’ you want for your specific needs, and change it whenever you need to. If you don’t have an unlocked phone, you can buy one in the UK from a number of providers.
Consider waiting until you attend your university's "Fresher's Week" before deciding on your phone provider as many providers will have booths at the university and offer some great student discounts.
With a working phone with a data plan, you can use things like Facebook and Facebook Messenger to send a quick message to family and friends. It’s a great way to say hi or tell them something cool that happened that day, not to mention sharing all of your photos from your adventures!
Texting and WhatsApp
You also have the option of using WhatsApp. It is an app which essentially works like texting but is free (on WiFi or within your data allowance), so instead of opening your messages you can text from WhatsApp. If you have an iPhone and want to talk to another iPhone user, this is also an option without any fees. You can iMessage regularly without any international fees as long as you’re on data or Wifi.
Calling and Skype
Sometimes messaging your loved ones is not enough, and you’ll want to hear their voices and see their faces whilst studying overseas in the UK. Pets’ faces, too! Video calling like FaceTime (via Apple devices) or Skype are both options that don’t cost anything!
Go Tech-Free
Want to make the most out of your "tourist" stage in your new home? Grab some postcards and utilize snail-mail for a personal touch to your communications back home! The UK has no shortage of beautiful postcards and these are readily available at museums, giftshops, and other tourist attractions that you're likely already going to be visiting (especially if it's your first time in the UK!). Even if you use these in addition to some other forms of communication, postcards can be a cost-effective and thoughtful way to highlight different landmarks, museums or areas that you visit throughout the year. Plus, who doesn't love receiving mail?
There are many different ways to stay in touch with everyone at home. If one option doesn’t work for one person, there will always be another way! Speaking to everyone and staying up to date with each other helps to adjust to living in a different country without them. If it ever feels like it’s too difficult, or your homesickness is particularly strong one day, an instant message can be a great pick me up.
And remember, if you would like to find out more details about any aspect of studying in the UK, please contact one of our Advisors!