1. About studying in the United States
I. Clothing
Few American clothing brands are suitable for Asians, especially petite students, and the number is even harder to find. American fashion design is not suitable for Asians either. Most of them like simple design, while Asians need a stronger sense of design to make up for their physical deficiencies. Therefore, it is recommended that international students buy more clothes they like in China and bring them there. In America, people usually wear casual clothes except parties, so they don't need much formal clothes. If you buy clothes in America, there will be better prices in some factory outlets and specialty stores. Usually in mid-August or around Christmas is the discount season.
Second, food.
Generally speaking, international students have the following choices in their daily diet. The first is to eat directly in the school cafeteria, saving time and trouble. An ordinary lunch costs about 4 to 8 dollars. If time is tight, you can eat out directly. A hamburger, sandwich or pizza in a small American fast food restaurant costs about 5 to 8 dollars, and a better restaurant costs about 15 to 30 dollars. Cooking by yourself, you can buy all kinds of food in supermarkets run by Chinese people, which can not only meet the demand for food, but also save a lot of money.
Third, live.
In the United States, international students generally use the following three ways of accommodation: school apartments, family boarding, and off-campus renting. As far as safety is concerned, the school apartment is undoubtedly true, but the rent is also high. For those international students who want to improve their foreign language level quickly and integrate into local life as soon as possible, homestay is also a good choice. If you want to improve your self-reliance or have independent space, you can choose to rent a house off campus. Private rent is relatively cheap, and you can freely choose lots, roommates, room types and lease periods.
Fourth, ok
Urban streets in the United States are all square, with no dead ends, and roads are connected with each other. The names of streets, except commercial streets and main roads, are generally named with different connotations. Most residential buildings or communities are named by numbers, so they generally don't get lost. In the United States, a driver's license is a very useful thing, which can almost be used as an ID card. Although I personally disapprove of foreign students buying a car, it is a good choice to have a driver's license in the United States. In the United States, traffic rules are made by States, but in general, the rules are similar. DMV in each district's vehicle management department has brochures on traffic rules, which can be obtained. There are not many traffic rules in the United States, but the management is strict, so we must not take any chances.
2. What do freshmen studying in the United States have to do?
First thing: Be sure to attend the school's opening week activities.
Most American schools will provide many programs for international students to integrate into American universities as soon as possible. Among them, the opening week activities are essential. The opening week activities before entering American universities provide many students with knowledge about study, life, health and safety, including information on topics such as international student visa regulations, to help students adapt to the new education system, accurately position themselves and obtain more resources during their study in the United States. During the open week, students can listen to the life and study experiences of other international students abroad during the activities. Understand the cultural and ideological adjustment, security and other topics in the activity. This is the fastest way for students to understand American university life. Students must not miss it.
The second thing: get into the habit of paying attention to email.
American universities often exchange important information with students through e-mail, from various educational information announcements to campus knowledge such as how to register courses. Every time from the airport to the campus, they will send it to the students by email. Freshmen can also contact their classmates or seniors by email to ask questions about campus life and get help.
The third thing: understand the health requirements of American universities for students.
American universities usually require international students who are about to enter school to be vaccinated before they start their studies. Different regions will be different. Students should know the specific medical needs of their own schools, which is a mandatory requirement of the local government and colleges, and also a requirement that every international student needs to meet.
The fourth thing: plan a reasonable life budget.
In domestic high schools, most of them are day students and most of them live in closed management. Parents are considerate of daily expenses, so students' freedom does not need to consider the living budget too much. But in the United States, students' monthly expenses in the new environment may increase rapidly. Freshmen need to plan their study abroad life reasonably by establishing a budget, which is also the cultivation of their good habits.
Fifth thing: organize all the necessary documents.
Students should put their passports, visas and other important documents in their hand luggage and take them with them when they leave for study in the United States, instead of casually putting them in checked baggage. Especially the 1-20 form is as important as your passport and visa. Once these things are missing, it will bring great trouble to your study and life.
3. Interpretation of common misunderstandings in studying in the United States
Myth 1: international students can't get help.
Teaching secretaries, teachers and international student project offices will help international students, and many schools provide English corners and corresponding courses to help international students improve their English.
Many professors realize that it is difficult for international students to get access to English textbooks at first, and they are usually willing to help these students or appoint some American students to help international students. In fact, our American classmates are a huge resource. Some people think they don't care about international students, but in fact, American students are very friendly and willing to provide all kinds of help to international students.
Myth 2: American universities are located in unsafe big cities.
Many American movies are shot in big cities, such as new york, Austin, the capital, etc. When most people think of big cities, they will think of crime and drugs. But this is not entirely correct. There is no doubt that the crime rate in big cities is higher than that in some small towns, but colleges and universities often arrange many school police to ensure the safety of the college. In case of robbery, the local police station will immediately notify the school, and the school's security measures will always be on alert to prevent some crimes. In some large-scale schools, there are often school buses between several campuses, and school buses in some schools can even send students to off-campus apartments at night. Many colleges and universities have multiple campuses, some of which are located in suburbs or small towns, so American colleges and universities are not all built in big cities.
Myth 3: Many students in American universities like parties.
The scene of American campus life that we often see in TV movies is that they often attend various parties, and many foreign students are worried that they can't adapt because they don't like parties. However, the fact is that even if you no longer like going to parties, you will get used to it soon.
Myth 4: There are no extracurricular activities that foreign students can participate in.
In fact, campus life in the United States is rich and colorful. They don't want students to bury themselves in their studies all day, but they want students to have critical thinking and become talents with comprehensive quality. There are many clubs and organizations that international students can join in American universities. In Brown University, there are many computer science groups, photography associations and nutrition and health clubs. Many schools have their own school spirit, and students will be invited to participate in various campus sports, such as American football, basketball, ice hockey and football. Volunteers are also very popular activities inside and outside the school. Volunteers have the opportunity to teach students mathematics in primary and secondary schools.
Myth 5: You must choose a major immediately.
In many cases, the school allows students to choose a major when they are not sure about it, usually in their sophomore year. The school encourages students to take more courses, try new things and dabble in new fields of knowledge, because you won't know if you like it until you really try it. Of course, if you know what you want to learn before entering school, it is very important to try new things and broaden your horizons. This is why many American colleges and universities set up some courses that have nothing to do with students' majors, and require students to complete them, because American colleges and universities hope that the students who will eventually be trained will have various skills and broad horizons.