Help for International Students
Challenges Faced by International Students Studying in the US
Change, while exciting, is often difficult. These difficulties are aggravated when you’re far from home with no friends or family nearby to offer comfort or help. This is often the situation for international students who attend American colleges.
In addition, international students confront challenges that are unique to students arriving with a different native language and background.
Help for International Students Adjusting to American Classrooms
Students whose native language is something other than English may find it difficult to keep up in an American classroom filled with fast speakers or technical terms. Universities may offer several options to help international students who wish to improve their language skills, such as English classes or pairing students with a volunteer conversation partner.
Students can also record a professor’s lecture or join a study group to make sure no information is lost in translation. In fact, University Language Services has helped students by transcribing and translating records. We urge you to get permission from your professor if you are interested in this service.
Professors expect students in their classrooms to participate and share their opinions and ideas. Don’t be afraid to do this, or at the very least visit the professor during office hours to discuss your thoughts and concerns.
Help Surviving Homesickness and the Holidays
Help overcome homesickness by meeting other international students who understand what you’re going through. Some colleges have clubs for international students, or you could join a club for students learning your native tongue. Either organization will probably be glad to have you share the ideas, traditions and recipes you bring from your homeland.
Homesickness may be even more acute near the holidays when many other students go home and the campus feels deserted. The university or groups in the community might offer meals or other forms of help for international students to feel more at home. In fact, professors have been known to invite international students to their homes for holiday meals!
Help for International Students Making Friends
Don’t limit yourself to joining clubs geared toward international students or foreign languages. Meet new people by joining student organizations that focus on one of your hobbies. Play sports. Talk to fellow students in your classes.
Some universities can even pair you with membersof the community who aren’t students. These new friends can give you an insight into American life outside the university. They can also provide help for international students who need to navigate problems many residents probably take for granted, such as where to get groceries or how to use public transportation.
Foreign students may also have to deal with tax-forms, student visas and other paperwork. The international office at the university may be able to offer help for international students who are completing these documents.
Being an international student can be exciting but also very nerve-wracking. It will be challenging to navigate a new country (and may beeven a new language), but hopefully it will be rewarding in the end.
Above all, international students must not be afraid to ask for help. Your classmates will be glad to point you in the right direction, and many universities have options already set up for international students who are having difficulties.
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