3. Pack using your head and your heart.
It‘s not easy being practical when deciding what to pack and there is always that temptation to bring cherished personal belongings such as books, letters or fluffy toys. Whatever you bring, make sure that is will be something that you think might help your chances of succeeding.
This includes practical items such as study materials, old class notes, favorite textbooks or pens and even the contact details of previous teachers. It might also include some small luxuries such as study music or well-packaged snack foods. Items of sentimental value such as a flipbook with photographs of family and friends or a favorite item of clothing can help you feel closer to home.
4. Remember your roots.
Contact people you care about before and after. You are a person with feelings and relocating overseas is a big event. Talk to your close friends and family about your thoughts, dreams and fears for your new venture before you leave and make sure you keep in regular contact after you arrive and during your time away. Sharing the experience always halves any burdens and doubles the excitement of any achievements. Besides, with the ease and convenience of communicating via the Internet nowadays, there is no excuse not to keep in touch!
It is important to realize that while new and exciting things may be happening to you in your new environment, things and people back at home will also be changing. It is possible to feel isolated and experience “reverse culture shock” when you return home for a visit after an extended period of time away. The extent of this can be determined by such things as how involved you become in your new culture and how involved you stay in your original culture. Remember your roots, they are an important part of who you are.
5. Take opportunities as they come.
Learn from all experiences. Value both your achievements and disappointments as learning experiences that can be applied to future situations in life. Value all positive outcomes and more importantly, don‘t take negative outcomes at face value. Instead, try to see the lessons in mistakes and turn them into opportunities for future improvement. Opportunities are present all the time, but often they go by unnoticed. Recognizing opportunities is a skill which anyone can learn through practice and patience.
In summary, travelling overseas is an amazing opportunity for personal growth, which not everyone has the chance, or the inclination to take part in. By no means should my advice be taken as the only way to do things. The beauty of learning through experience is that it proves that there is no right and wrong way, instead preparing you for the best personal way in which you can deal with issues as they arise. Still, I hope my suggestions will be of assistance to students (including previous ones of my own) who will study abroad from 2004 onward and I wish all the very best of success.
翻译；
3、收拾包裹时要心脑并用
收拾包裹并不是件容易的事情，总会有想带一些私人珍藏的冲动，例如书本、信件或绒毛玩具等等。不论你带什么东西，请确保这些东西对你以后的成功会起到一定的帮助作用。
这包括一些实用的东西，例如学习资料、以前的课堂笔记、喜爱的教科书或钢笔，甚至是以前教过你的老师们的详细通讯方式。这还包括一些小件的奢侈品，如学习音乐的东西或包装精美的零食。有情感价值的东西可以让你觉得离家不远，例如家人或朋友的相集或钟爱的衣服等物品。
4、把根留住
不时地与你所关心的人联系。你是一个有感情的人，而出国留学是一件大事情。在离开前向你的家人朋友倾诉你的想法、梦想和恐惧。并且确保在你到达后以及其后的时间都要与他们保持经常的联系。与他人分享你的经验会让你的痛苦减半，使你的快乐倍增。何况，现在通过互联网可以很方便容易地与人沟通，我们没有理由不和他人保持联系。
有一件很重要的事情我们必须要意识到，那就是：当你在新环境里经历着新鲜刺激的事情时，故乡里的人和物也会发生变化。你很有可能感到被遗忘，并且当你经过一段时间后回国时可能会体验到“反文化冲击”。这种“反文化冲击”的程度取决于你融入他国文化的状况以及你对本国文化的保留程度。记住自己的根，它们是你自我归属感的一个重要组成部分。
5、不失时机地把握机会
在体验中汲取知识。把成就和失望都当成是在学经验，一种以后可以用得到的经验。重视所有的成功，但更重要的是，不要只看到失败的表面。尽量从失误中吸取教训，把它们变成以后成功的机会。机会无处不在，但经常在人们的忽略中消失。每个人都只能通过实践和忍耐来学会抓住机会的技巧。
总而言之，出国留学对个人的成长来说是个不可多得的机会，不是每个人都有这种机会或有出国留学的意愿的。我的以上建议绝对不是唯一的行事指南。实践学习的美妙之处在于根本就没有对或错的方法，有的只有你最适合的方法，你得用你的方法面对任何的挑战。尽管如此，我希望我的建议能够对从2004年起准备出国留学的学生（包括我教过的学生）起到帮助作用。我希望他们一切顺利。
