How to optimize your smartphone for your study abroad

Imagine how miserable and boring your life would be without your smartphone. What is a life today without the apps for studying you use and the social media experience you get from your phone? When planning your trip to study abroad, you need to prepare your smartphone too.

As a college student, you are likely to get very many opportunities to specialize in your career in some of the top universities abroad. Your smartphone will come in handy more than you think. So, how do you prep your smartphone for a study trip to the UK, US or Australia?

How to Prepare Your Phone for Your Study Abroad Experience

Whether you are writing an essay assignment, saving some notes or finding a location, a smartphone is enough. It makes your life easy while away from home. Below are some tips on how to optimize your smartphone to suit your academic needs abroad.

1. Ensure it is not restricted in the country you are relocating to

Some phones are locked and restricted to a specific country or service provider. If your phone is locked, the chances are that it won’t work in the new country you will be relocating to. If there is a way to unlock it or have if functional while in roaming mode, do so before you settle away.

You can research your phone brand and its restrictions in the new country. Some operating systems functional in China may not work in the UK. If you are relocating to Australia, for instance, look into the Australian requirements as far as frequencies and networks are concerned.

2. Change the time and location settings

Your smartphone will definitely determine how fast you adapt to the new time zone. Change it to align with the area you are in abroad. Relocating to a new time zone is a drastic change for your brain; simplify the process. Outlay your study abroad plans before traveling and after arrival; time is a crucial factor.

3. Get all the useful study apps you need

Before you leave for your trip, ensure that you have installed all the study abroad apps that you may need. If you are moving to Australia, you must get apps on essay writing requirements in the country. The apps were an important essay writer guide to write my essay while I was studying in a college in Australia. Therefore, it may come in handy to you.

Apart from getting study abroad apps for studying, you also need to get some other few apps to facilitate your stay. Some of the common apps include map apps, a currency converter app, a WI-FI finder app and language-based apps or translators.

4. Research on data plans and packages to purchase

Phone bills can be quite expensive in a new country, especially if you have no clue of what package to purchase. Make it your priority to find a suitable cellular and data package for your study abroad cell phone. You can use social media and the internet to find the best cell phone package for a student, even before leaving your country.

Keep your bills and living expenses as minimal as possible, especially when you are an international student. This includes charges incurred on your calls and data bundles.

5. Install data-saving apps on your phone

Your study abroad phone must have a bunch of data saving apps like Opera browser, WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype. These apps make it easy for you to browse, text and call with reasonable data charges. With well-managed study abroad phone plans, you will keep in touch with your family and friends back at home at reasonable or no costs.

Consider upgrading your smartphone to international roaming mode if you will be away on a contract. To get an upgrade, you should consult with your service provider on how to go about it. On arrival, get you an international sim-card. Such straightforward tips save you time and money that you can channel into your studies.

In a Nutshell…

Surviving in a new country with a whole new culture can be tough, especially if you are without a smartphone and internet access. This is why you need to prep your phone effectively before leaving for the new destination. Your phone comes in handy when looking for directions, the shopping centers, an essay writer website or just a coffee shop in town.

For this reason, it is very important to ensure that your cell phone works abroad before you travel. Avoid being stranded in a strange land.