By Holly Little, Contributing Writer
I am an international student from Scotland studying a sports MBA at Saint Leo University. When I moved to Florida, it was my first time being in the United States, so, unsurprisingly, I had a lot of questions. There were so many cultural shocks and everything was very different, but it was so exciting!
Leaving home and travelling far away to study in a new place is scary. You leave your family, friends, and the familiarity with which you grew up with, and now find yourself in a totally new environment where you don’t know many or any people. It is also one of the most incredible experiences and a huge opportunity to learn, to challenge yourself, to meet new people, and to grow as a person!
Here are ten things I wish I knew as an incoming international student:
Familiarize yourself with the international department.
Research all things taxes, visas, SEVIS, and OPTs. A tip is to know if your country has a tax treaty in place. You can fill out a W8BEN form, which might reduce the costs, if any. Paige Ramsey-Hamacher and Carol Hope Grant from the Center for Global Engagement are your go-to people for help and information at Saint Leo.
Research the university’s international student population.
I have been so blessed that so many of my sports teammates and my classmates at Saint Leo have included people from all over the world! It is an awesome way to learn about a variety of cultures and begin networking globally.
You can only work on campus.
You are classified as a non-federal work study student, so you are unable to work anywhere apart from the school grounds. These on-campus jobs are limited, so make sure to submit your applications early.
Organize these as soon as you arrive:
- Go to a bank (Chase, Bank of America, etc.) and open a college account.
- Organize an appointment at your local Social Security Office and get a Social Security Number (SSN) if you plan on working.
- Visit a mobile store and buy yourself a phone contract for that country. It felt pretty cool having an American number. I use MintMobile, which I found to have the most reasonable choices.
Be prepared for a different academic structure.
From the grading to the referencing, everything was very different here compared to what I had learnt during my undergraduate back home. I had to adapt quickly to the new requirements. For a lot of students, this is the hardest part. Reach out to your professors or other students before you come to the United States, or even do some online research, to find out how things are done.
Don’t forget adapters for your country’s plugs.
A great hack is to bring an extension cable to plug in, so that you have multiple outlets for your non-American cords. If you forget, you can buy them here at Walmart or another store, but they will be more expensive.
Being homesick is okay.
Sometimes this feeling can come at the most unexpected time, but it can disappear quickly if you surround yourself with friends. I often felt a movie night with my teammates helped to cure it.
THE FRESHMAN 15…
If you don’t know what this is, get to know! Just because you are offered free food, doesn’t mean you have to eat it all, especially American food, which tends to be greasier or come in larger quantities than most other countries.
Ensure you have good health insurance.
Back home it is completely different, so I had no idea how anything worked when I arrived. Familiarize yourself with the process and reach out for any help you might need. Speaking to other international students was a great help for me.
Get to know your professors.
I found that the dynamic here between professors and students was more relaxed. I became good friends with a lot of mine and felt very comfortable reaching out for any help that I needed. You might need a reference one day and your professors would be a great option.
Other international students expressed what they wish they knew before moving to America and attending Saint Leo.
“I wish I knew the best way to convert my own country’s currency to United States dollars,” said Hailey ji Cai Deyhun Latlief, a senior majoring in multimedia. “I eventually asked for some guidance from a friend and opened an account with Achieva, which allowed me to easily transfer money from my own account.”
It is safe to say that you can never be prepared enough for studying abroad, so take from this what you can and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. With the right mindset and a good attitude, this experience will open your eyes, expand your heart, and provide you with the skills that no other type of travel will do. Good luck!
