Getting Ready to Leave New York

As your time studying or working in New York draws to a close and you begin to think about leaving the city, there will be many different things for you to consider. It can be all too easy to get caught up in preparations for your departure and forget that there are bills you need to pay and requirements you still need to fulfill for your academic institution. The following list includes important things that you may need to do before you leave the city or the country.

If you have rented your own apartment, be sure to notify your landlord in writing at least a month before your departure date. Avoid losing your security deposit or being charged extra fees by fulfilling all the terms of your lease.

Notify your telephone, electric and cable TV suppliers of the date on which they should terminate service. Arrange for refunds of any deposits you may have paid.

Notify the post office of your date of departure and provide your forwarding address. Ask the post office for special change-of-address postcards you can send to any companies with which you maintain magazine or newspaper subscriptions.

Leave your forwarding address with the international student office and the registrar at your university.

Be sure to pay all outstanding bills, including credit card bills, library fees, and any university fees.
Make sure you obtain an official copy of your college transcript.
Return all materials you have borrowed from libraries.
Let your international student advisor know that you are leaving the country and find out what procedures you may need to go through before, during, or after your departure
Consider donating any clothing or household items you are unable to take home with you to local charities, such as The Salvation Army.

It is also important to consider that you may feel some effects of “reverse” culture shock as you re-enter life in your home country. After making a new life here in New York, it can seem strange to be back at home among old surroundings and people who haven’t had the transformational experiences you have. You may start to realize how much you have changed and to feel that you no longer fit in. A readjustment period after returning home is inevitable, but if you are prepared for it, it should be easier for you to cope with life after New York!