Health & Safety Doubts Hat

Late-Night Medical Concerns

Getting sick or hurt at 2 AM while you’re studying miles from home can freak you out. If you don’t know how the local health system works, you could lose time scrolling for clinics or stressing about how to pay for treatment.

How to manage:

Map out the closest urgent care, the nearest 24-hour clinic, and the emergency room you’d go to from your dorm. Do this during the day so you’re not doing it while panicking.

Store emergency contact numbers in your phone (don’t forget to double-check if it’s the same in your host country). In the States, you press 911, but other places have different numbers.

Stash a mini first-aid kit under your bed and pick up a handful of go-to over-the-counter meds (like pain relievers and allergy stuff) while you can still read the labels at home.

Medicine & Pharmacy Confusion

At home, you know which magic blue bottle cures your coughing fit. Overseas, the same stuff might have a totally different name and look like something you’d use for science class.

How to manage:

Memorize the generic names of your go-to meds. (Think acetaminophen = Tylenol, ibuprofen = Advil).

Before you leave, grab an updated prescription and a list of your daily meds from your doc back home. If you can’t find it or read it, it’s no use.

Check out a pharmacy and chat with the pharmacist—most are chill about walking you through what the labels actually mean, and they’re pros at finding the equivalent wherever you are.

Night Safety Worries

Strolling through a strange neighborhood after dark can make your heart race. It doesn’t matter if the whole city feels chill—just the idea of being alone can freak you out a bit. So, give your surroundings some extra attention.

Here’s what to do:
Pick your path before you head out, especially if you’ll be out late. Grab a ride through an app, hop on the campus late-night shuttle, or buddy up. Always have your emergency contacts saved and a safety app like Noonlight or bSafe ready to go.