Social Life And Making Friends On Us University Campuses

Hang Yuan (James) Professor Spencer English 0812 April 21st 2016 Essay assignment #1 Final Draft The Gap between International Students and Domestic Students How to make friends with American students? Probably every international student had this question when they first came to the United States. In Rebekah Nathan’s book “My Freshman year,” Nathan exchanges her college professor position back to a college student.

Traveling half the globe does not seem to be that big of a deal anymore. This opens up many opportunities, especially for students, to go to a different country and learn their culture. I am an international student and from my experience, cultural differences are the most difficult challenge for two people to become friends. Most of the situation that I had faced are very similar to the story in “Laughing Without an Accent” by Firoozeh Dumas.

In the article, “Colleges Adapt to New Kinds of Students from Abroad,” Karin Fischer (2011) explains the increase of foreign students in U.S. universities leads to make more problems in campus and how universities are trying to overcome those problems and help foreign students to adapt to campus. Fischer explains the increase of the foreign undergraduate students due to the support from foreign governments. Fischer quotes Wesley Young, the director of services for international students and scholars at the University of California at Davis, to discuss that the increase of foreign undergraduate students especially requires more care and help than graduate students. While older students know what they need to do and what to do in U.S. university,

Making friends on U.S. campuses could be challenging for those who are an international students. It’s not easy to make friends with American students because they tend to be independent and keep distance from others. In Rebekah Nathan’s book “My Freshman Year”, Nathan claims that social life and developing friendships on U.S. campuses is difficult for international students because American students would make them feel uncomfortable and invisible at times. Nathan’s argues that American students don’t put any effort in talking to students from different race, ethnic, and background. International students are usually on their own or be with their friends since Americans wouldn’t make friends with them. In nathan’s book, she discusses about the

College for an incoming freshman is exciting, however, it is often focused on the social aspect such as the connections that can be attained through Greek life, parties and independence. Due

When a young adult gets to go to college or university, they stray a new path in their lives away from their parents and into a good taste of freedom on campus life. It is here where you try to find your identity and seek significant others to construct your daily life but it can be through those same friends that you have common interests that tensions can occur with others who are in different sub cultures than you.

Americans at all times assumed that individual effort can triumph over circumstances. Therefore, U.S. students decide to isolate themselves from socializing with international students or other things such as having lunch with them, enjoying at parties or night clubs that they consider a disturbance because some think, Why waste time with new people? In Rebekah Nathan’s book “My Freshmen Year”, she claims that international students saw individualism and independence as a characteristic in American students. Nathan enlightens how she saw very little collaborations between families and friends in American students. Rebekah Nathan claims that international students find it blurred when they attempt to recognize and associate with American students.

I have learned that retaining global relationships are a unique, enlightening and a significant experience. In College, I have had the privilege to encounter with many international students. Consequently,

However, the change from home to college can be difficult for international students (Mesidor & Sly, 2016). While some international students find it easy to adjust to the transition, others international students find it challenging to adjust to the transition (Mesidor & Sly, 2016). Studies show that international students experience many challenges as a result of language and cultural barriers, academic difficulties, financial difficulties, medical issues, housing concerns, food differences, alienation, homesickness, lack of social support system, racial discrimination, and cross-cultural loss) (Akanwa, 2015; Guzman et al., 2015; Mesidor & Sly, 2016; Sherry et al., 2010; Smith & Khawaja, 2011; Tung, 2011; Zhang & Goodson, 2010). According to Prieto-Welch (2016), international students as a group are regarded as a main minority population in campuses

International students face many different challenges when studying abroad. This is due to many factors. First, they are living in a country very far away from their own. The country they are studying at has a very different way of life than theirs. Further more, the laws in that country are much different than the laws in their own country. Due to that they face a lot of problems trying to adapt to this new culture. Me personally as an international student in the US studying at ASU, have faced three particularly difficult challenges that I was able to overcome through time. In this essay I will explain how international students can overcome tough challenges and situations.

She had missed out the university social experience which contained more connections. These included friendships, clubs, and living on campus. She explained that the all of these components of education come together and make it really valuable. “A job may be the starting point for the good life, but it shouldn’t be the end.” (Hrabowski 260) College puts students in many different social and academic situations. These scenarios prepare young students for not only a job, but life when these day to day interactions take place. I relate to Hrabowski’s article because in the first semester of my college career, I would often stay inside because I would be focused on school all the time. My mom would often remind me how lucky I am because the people I meet while have the time I have on campus will become my best friends. Although I am still working on making lifelong friends, I feel I still make connections with others on campus on a day to day basis that are really important. Hrabowski relates to my experience because although I am pursuing a degree, I believe that much more aspects going into a full and happy life. Having these social experiences will give me the upper hand of handling professional and casual social situations better. This will allow me to have better connections and more opportunities which will only positively affect my

This results in few friends and international students tending to isolate themselves or keeping to a group of the same language. Depression comes into effect for those that cannot find peers of the same language. Therefore being forced to have very or no friend which leads to loneliness and depression. The barrier between international students and English speaking students create obstacles that impede the building of interpersonal relationships with fellow students. International students not fluent with the English language experience difficulties that students who are fluent do not. They difficulties include needing extra time to read assigned reading, difficulties understanding class lectures and discussions, and difficulties communicating concerns and view points (Tam. K, Donghyuck. L, & Huang. L, 2007) International students tend to disconnect from their previous social life and find new connections to develop new social Support networks in their new host country (Tam. K, Donghyuck. L, & Huang. L, 2007). Pedersen (1991), point out that a loss of social support as an impact on the psychological well-being of an international student. The unpleasant experience of forming new support networks in host country leads to feeling of disappointment and discontent. Overtime, these feeling lead to social isolation (Mallinckrodt and Leong 1992).

In 2011/12, there were 764,495 international students enrolled throughout the United States in Higher Education Institutions. Two years later, in 2013/14, the number of students had risen to 886,052, which was a 16% increase (Institute, 2014). With this rate of growth, American students and international students are communicating with more and more of those who may not come from the same social norms and cultural backgrounds. With limited or low intercultural competence, American students, can sometimes have a hard time with cultures other than their own. Be that as it may, American students and international students can make leaps and bounds, both personally and professionally in the future. Intercultural communication has many positive benefits, but only if American students are willing to improve the communication barrier that can hold them from their success.

International students need social support because they will face at least two challenges in the new academic settings. First, the adaptation to the new environment because of different geographic location, climate and also different culture. Second, adaptation to new educational system that may differ with home country system with different academic demand. Moreover, International students will also challenged by being away from family and relatives and also will deal with technical and financial aspects. Consequently developing the new one or enhance the existing social network is very important to help student succeed

Learn. Never put yourself in the same position twice. Expand your horizon. Live with open eyes and mind. Remember that time remains the utmost precious commodity in all existence. All of my past experiences have been able to teach myself lessons. Lessons that I will share with you. Subsequently proceed into further detail regarding how I might be able to contribute to the Towson University campus community.