hey isabel call me enbuli or enviary or onnunori or whatever because idk lol im not good with translifersting, first off, gl with everything! this is a big thing and i (probably) get why you're feeling kinda overwhelmed. i amm pretty new to forums so idk if i'll explain things perfectly, but i'll try my best based on what i found. take everything below with a grain of salt because i am not experienced nor am i that good
sooo for your first question about language, it prob depends on the school and program, but understanding classes fully would need a pretty high level. like, some universitess want N2 or even N1 for exchange students , & while high school might be a bit less intense, you'd still need solid n3 or better to keep up without drowning... there is school vocabulary and dictionary stuff, but the speed and kanji could still be rough. be careful tho , since high school exchange rules might be different than uni.
about the strictness…… yeah, japanese schools can be strict with uniforms, rules, and long days . but idk if every school is the same, there might be variation . the focus seems more on discipline and group harmony than just "looking busy,", but the workload can definitely be heavy.
for piercings... uh, this one's not great. some high schools seem to ban piercings, even simple earlobe ones . like, it's part of the uniform/dress code rules . so you'd likely need to take them out during school hours. sucks, but it's probably standard (do some research, ask questions, search stuff or idk).
making friends? i get the worry, especially feeling like foreigners might seem "weird" but joining clubs (like kendo or calligraphy) is probably a common way exchange students make friends, cuz even showing some interest in culture can maybe impress some people. being open to their culture, bringing yummy snacks , or just joining activities helps a lot .if you can speak decent japanese, people tend to treat you like anyone else(?). it might be slow at first, but it is definitely possible.
now the adhd thing... this is tough. from what i searched up, formal support in schools might be limited. some soueces say there's no real support system and students are expected to keep up equally . there are resource rooms for adhd in some schools since 2006 , but it's not clear how widespread or helpful they are, especially for exchange students. accommodations might be rare. so yeah, the burnout risk is real, especially with the workload. horribl
overall, i think the exchange is more about the experience than acing classes. failing a year sounds scary, but if you go in knowing it'll be hard and focus on learning, growing, and just being there, it could still be amazing. again, take this with a grain of salt tho, i'm just piecing this together. you got this!!
