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Q: What advice do you give students going overseas?
The word "fashion" printed on your clothes does not make them fashionable.
Westernized Chinese food will make you fat just like the local food.
When walking down dark alleys, there are worse things to fear than mice.
Drinking age is 21.
to the girls;
Shorts on top of pantyhose or yoga pants looks like superman wearing his underwear on the outside.
Beware when a guy offers you drinks.
Carry a can of pepper spray.
- No one gives a crap who your parents are.
- Butt in line and you will get your ass kicked.
- You need to realize most people don't like China. (Warranted or not, just understand that and be ready for comments sometimes)
- Walk to the right, stand to the right on escalators
- Don't yell for the waitress
- Don't be scared to ask for help. People WILL help strangers.
To the guys: stop looking and acting so much like little girls. Stop play-punching and kicking eachother and then screaming as your pal chases you while giggling. Jesus!
try the beer and then get pizza delivery.
to the Girls: I live at 216 Geo,,,,, o never mind just msg me here, I'll come get you
fondling each other will make others think you're gay "not that there's anything wrong with it" (seinfeld) men sitting in each others lap will make others think you're gay "not that there's anything wrong with it" wearing those silly hairstyles and "throwing your hair back" every 2 mins will make others think you're gay "not that there's anything wrong with it" wearing designer (looking) shirts and jeans (tight fitting) will make others think you're gay "not that there's anything wrong with it" kissing another man and softly punching him in the genitals will make others think your're gay (except in france 
) there's something wrong with that
The drinking age in the US is 21... In Australia, UK, NZ, SA and many other countries, is 18.
Your parents have basically NO influence on what happens if your in another country... unless said parent is VERY high up in the Chinese government - so if you stuff up, you won't be able to play that card!
Most people will expect native English to come out of your mouth, because there are so many Chinese-Australians, Chinese-kiwi's, Chinese-poms, Chinese-Canadians, etc.. OTOH, do NOT expect ANY Chinese person you walk up to onthe street to speak Putonghua, or Guandonghua....
Try the food! All the food!! Many countries out there are very multicultural, so you can experience lots of different flavours!
The local law enforcement officers can NOT be bribed! Guanxi does NOT exist. No one cares about your face...
Unless you're studying at a really crappy university, you CAN fail... and money will NOT buy you a pass. You can be kicked out for not keeping your grades up!
Having a fight with a girlfriend in public, that turns violent, will put you in jail for assault - we do NOT put up with that shit!
OTOH, if you do get into an accident, get hurt, etc, you CAN expect people to help you, and witnesses will report things to the police.
Don't lose the plot! Many people (usually from younger generations) go completely crazy when they go to another city or country, away from the watchful eyes of parents and family... and end up in drugs, alcohol, sex, etc... for many, not a problem - for some, seriously bad....
Keep your mind open - outside of here, China is NOT seen as the great wonderful country that you've been taught it is. Likewise, all those other countries are not decadant and uncivilised.
- No one gives a crap who your parents are.
- Butt in line and you will get your ass kicked.
- You need to realize most people don't like China. (Warranted or not, just understand that and be ready for comments sometimes)
- Walk to the right, stand to the right on escalators
- Don't yell for the waitress
- Don't be scared to ask for help. People WILL help strangers.
Please don't piss or poop on our streets. Or spit. We like our streets and sidewalks clean. And if you run into my gramma, she'll slap you for it.
OHH.. and don't break our toilet seats by trying to squat on them. Build or buy a platform if you don't feel like taking a seat. We like our thrones 
girls stay away from the desserts
...and the TP goes in the bowl. I now understand why some foreigners here leave TP on the floor, still gross.
HugAPanda:
Stay away from the "deserts"? As in the big vast sand worlds, or do you mean desserts and cheesecake and ice cream and stuff? Do you stay away from them?
Most of the students I've had who were going abroad were already pretty open minded to the point that I honestly think they would be adaptable enough to survive without my boring advice, although I fielded any questions they had. More rewarding for them to learn on their own.
Then there are some yellow supremacist students who are planning to go abroad, badmouth whatever country they're in "for China great national pride", and walk into a fortune 500 boardroom, wearing ripped up jeans, a t-shirt and sunglasses, give two thumbs up and scream "Oh my Lady Gaga, I great 5000 year country, you foreigner so stupid hahaha. Give me seven figure 哦也!!!" And expect the CEO to give him eight in wide-eyed amazement at the glory of a self-proclaimed cool dude from a 5000 year-old country.
That latter category I never give advice to, either. More rewarding for me.
