When I read “Congratulations!” in my University of Virginia acceptance letter, my heart skipped a beat. Reality sunk in: I was moving to America. The excitement I felt was overwhelming, but I couldn’t avoid the inevitable feeling of nervousness and anticipation sprinkled with a hint of fear. Moving to another continent, away from everyone I love and anything I’d ever known, left me with a pit in my stomach.
Fast-forward a few months, and there I was, dragging four large, barely zipped-up suitcases through the airport with my parents by my side, looking ten times more anxious than I felt. I stood in the line for the gate of the 15-hour flight that stretched before me. This wasn’t just a one-time trip; I would be taking this journey, crossing oceans, time zones, and airport terminals multiple times over the next four years. I knew I would have to prepare myself to constantly bounce between two countries, two cultures, two sets of friends, and worst – to leave my family behind.Â
Thousands of international students take similar journeys every year, packing their bags with pieces of their homes to America. This guide (based on my personal experience as a student in her second year living in America) is for all of us, with insights and encouragement to find a home away from home and to fully enjoy the American college experience.
Dealing with culture shock
Culture shock is one of the most common experiences for most international students. It hits harder in the first couple of months, but the key is overcoming it. Everything feels foreign in the first few months, from the food and social norms to daily routines and even the weather. The disorientation can lead to homesickness, ruining the ability to enjoy the foreign experience. I come from a city that used to be a desert; naturally, the climate is always hot. I’ve always told my American friends that I’ve never experienced cold weather, let alone the winter, so when late October- early November weather hit, I was completely unprepared and had to scavenge to purchase sweaters and puffer jackets to keep myself warm. It also took me some time to get somewhat the hang of resetting my settings to Fahrenheit (I still sometimes struggle to understand what 70 degrees means!).Â
Another minuscule aspect I was taken aback by is the lack of bidets; where I come from, bidets are present everywhere, whether in public restrooms or people’s houses. The absence of bidets surprised me as I thought it was a universal custom; I solved this by purchasing a portable one from Amazon! This was my way of bringing a piece of my home to my new life; although an unusual one, it is a reminder that adapting doesn’t mean giving up everything familiar. That is why I recommend bringing and setting up small pieces of home in your new space, whether it is decorating with familiar items, cooking traditional dishes, or celebrating your cultural holidays; these are all ways to offer yourself comfort and to piece together your culture with the current culture of the country you live in.
Making Friends
College life is often difficult to adapt to, and it may be much more difficult when you are adjusting to campus life and a new life in a new country. Fears about dorm life, making friends, and being involved on campus can be amplified. I remember one of my biggest fears was my ability to make friends on campus. As someone who attended an IB International school, I was familiar with many different cultures but grew up predominantly with Middle Easterners and North Africans. I was concerned about connecting with American students and wondered if we’d have enough in common to form meaningful relationships. One piece of advice I’d offer to any international student who feels this way is to realize that people coming to college are also eager to make friends AND learn about new cultures. Putting myself out there (not only sticking and confining myself to cultures that I am already familiar with and comfortable with) was the best approach, even in small ways.Â
Join cultural student unions and organizations, attend different social events, sit next to people in classes, and introduce yourself. 50% of the time, whenever I speak to someone new, they are interested in my cultural background and where I live, and that fosters a meaningful conversation and has led me to form some of the strongest friendships I have on campus to this day. UVA has a residential college called the IRC, which provides international students with a place to live and space for cultural exchange. Students from all over the world live together, allowing them to share their diverse backgrounds and cultures and deal with the obstacles of being an international student in America.Â
iNDEPENDENT LIVING
Living independently comes with different challenges, especially when you’re far away from family and their support. Usually, for international students, managing finances is the first hurdle; learning how to set up a bank account and budget and understand exchange rates are some of the critical skills I’ve learned that have helped me avoid common pitfalls. YNAB (available on the App Store and Google Play) is the app I use to help me budget my finances for the month and allocate money for groceries and other necessities. I’ve also learned how to keep up with exchange rates, as one of the biggest challenges for me was understanding and grasping the concept and weightage of a dollar, which is almost 4 times stronger than the currency I use back home. This would often confuse me as I would underestimate the prices of items I would purchase here and wouldn’t realize how expensive some things were until I would convert the price into the currency I am familiar with.Â
OVERALL, MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT
But beyond these practicalities, exploring the campus and the surrounding area (in my opinion) adds depth to the college experience. Growing up in a city, I longed to see some greenery and was ecstatic to explore the nature surrounding UVA. Walking around campus, visiting landmarks like the Monticello, and joining in on-campus traditions like Lighting of the Lawn helped me feel more connected to my new home. So take the time to learn how to navigate the UVA transport system and visit nearby attractions, watch a movie at the theatre in Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall, hike to Humpback Rock, and take pictures at the weekly Carter’s Mountain events. Exploring American culture will help enrich your understanding of life in the U.S. When I could grasp, adapt, and thoroughly enjoy my college experience here at UVA; I remembered why I came here to the United States in the first place.