An open letter to international students from a GU international student
Published: October 01, 2021
Author: Katie Thai
Katie Thai is from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and attended Greenville University from 2019 to 2021. She is currently in the Washington University this Fall in St. Louis, Missouri, as part of the 3+3 engineering program partnership GU has with WashU.
Katie shared about her experience at GU in the following open letter to prospective international students:
Dear international friends,
I’m Katie Thai, an engineering dual-degree student. This is my fourth year in college and my fourth year studying abroad. Here are some highlights of my life in the past few years, as well as some advice on how to survive your first few years in a foreign country.
In 2018, when I was 17 years old, I decided to study abroad. It was a challenge for me to leave my home at the age of 17 and start my own journey. I still remember that day - August 22nd, 2018 - I was on the plane for half the day to travel from Vietnam to the U.S. Right at the time I stepped on the airplane, I realized my world had completely changed. I realized I need to live on my own. I need to take good care of myself. I have to be responsible for the things I do. 17-years-old may not sound young to you, but for me, it was my first time living away from my parents. And it is not an easy journey.
If you are going to study abroad, congratulations! I know you can’t wait to enjoy your college life with late-night parties, crazy college activities, and dating some hot guys or girls at school. And yes, living away from strict parental control - It sounds great, doesn’t it? I also enjoy that part of my journey. But don’t forget you are living an adult life. You are now responsible for everything you do. Yes, EVERYTHING. So, please, take it seriously. Are you ready to be awakened by an annoying sound of your alarm every morning at 8:00 am? Are you sure you don’t need your mother’s help to get you out of your lovely bed? Can you do chores to keep your little living space nice and clean? Can you take care of yourself, not only physically but mentally? Are you ready to deal with problems that an adult has to deal with?
You are now living by yourself in a foreign country. Your parents may be too far away to help you immediately. And college is a handful of stress, especially when you are an engineering student.
When I was studying at Greenville University, my schedule was packed with 17-18 credits per semester. For those who have not had any idea about how busy it is, one credit is roughly equal to 1-hour in-class lecture and 2 hours of homework. So, on average, it took me about 50-55 hours a week to study. That’s almost 8 hours per day. That is why people call me a full-time student, I guess. But student was not my only job. Besides studying, I also had multiple jobs on-campus (Reminder: as an international student, you can only work on-campus. Don’t try to break the rule). I was an academic tutor, on student senate, and a teacher assistant. Those add 20 more working hours to my weekly schedule. I also did research during my time at GU. I also tried to keep up with all of my connections with friends and family. I don’t even know how much time I spent on all that. The only thing I knew was that I had to take every single job seriously. I had to maintain high performance in class in order to continue in the program. I had to keep up with my jobs to earn some money for my shopping. I had to be in touch with everyone because I didn’t want to be alone. Trust me, it was not too bad. I still made it and you can do the same.
Let me give you some tips and tricks that I have been using.
First of all, understand why you are here. Don’t tell me it is because your parents sent you here or because your friends do so. No. What is your goal of studying abroad? Is it because you want to gain knowledge and get the degree? Is it because you want to explore the world and be successful? Then, work towards it. Your parents have been working so hard to give you this good chance. They have been investing a lot. Don’t disappoint them. I know there are many tempting options out there trying to mislead you. Be careful. Parties are not bad. But don’t do it every night. You cannot skip every single class and expect an A. It will never happen. Do your work. Invest your time and effort. Prove that you can take care of your own life. Keep in mind your purpose in studying abroad and never doing anything that destroys your future.
Secondly, it is okay to not be okay. I have talked a lot about responsibility. You may be scared and overwhelmed. Don’t be worried and don’t be quiet. When you are not feeling good, speak up. Yes, you are living by yourself in the U.S., but that does not mean you are alone. There is help and support. We know that this transition in life is not easy. Those many responsibilities may be too much. And we are here to help. Don’t keep it yourself. Don’t hold on to your bad feelings or problems. Talk to your friends. Talk to your professors. Talk to your advisors, your family, tutors, coaches, or anyone you feel comfortable sharing with. If you have a bad day, share it with your friends. If you have any issues with classes, talk to your advisors. If you are stuck with a homework assignment, go to your professors’ office hours and talk to them. I highly recommend you bring questions to your professor during their office hours. You will not imagine how happy they are to have a student who put a lot of effort into their class. Just don’t be shy. There is tons of support available for you. We are here waiting to give you that support. If you don’t know who you should talk to about your problems, my advice is to always ask your advisors. Please, talk to us. We will help you figure out your problems. We will walk with you through the rough road of college life.
And even though you are no longer living with your parents, they are still there for you. Of course, you cannot go home immediately to cry in their arms, but a video call or a phone call can still ease the problem. I know you just got out of their arms. You are trying to prove that you can handle all of that. But let be honest. Sometimes, life is just too tough. I was super stressed when I transferred from Greenville University to Washington University in St. Louis. I know it is my decision to do this 3+3 program, but sometimes, it is just too much. And that is when I decided to talk about my problem. I picked up my phone and called my mom. I told her how I felt. After a long conversation, I was able to adjust my feelings, recharging my confidence. And here I am, finishing my first week of class strongly.
Thirdly, be organized. I’m talking about time management and work-study balance. You only have 24 hours a day and there are many things you need to do. Use your time wisely. I always have a planner with me so that I can plan anything out and don’t miss any assignment. With everything planned ahead, I am able to take care of myself. I can still have at least a 30-minute workout session every day. I know when I have time and how much time I have to spend with my friends. A planner really helps you to stay on top of your work. Believe me. You can try to plan ahead for a week and see how productive you are. You don’t have to remember all the deadlines of your assignments. Your planner can do that. Isn’t it great? The only thing you need to do is just remember to do your assignments. Don’t forget this part.
Fourth, don’t just focus on study. Don’t get me wrong on this. I mean study is your first priority. But don’t just spend your whole day doing homework. Do something fun. For example, join a club, get an on-campus job, do research, play a sport, make some friends. Do anything that keeps you entertained and releases some stress. GU offers many events and activities. Take advantage of it. That is a good chance for you to enjoy college life, build connections, and explore the world. You may not believe me but yes, I became friends and had dinner with one of my professors. Isn’t it crazy? I still keep in touch with her, and she always gives me the best advice when I need help. I may not be very active at GU in playing sport or joining clubs, but I would say I had a very exciting journey at GU.
Bonus: Try to work ahead of time. This is my personal trick to get through the last 3 years smoothly. It is my habit of studying. I usually start my assignment a week before the deadline so that I have plenty of time to figure things out or ask for help. If you are not a fan of working ahead of time, this may be a bit challenging. I don’t think I can survive Calculus classes if I am a last-minute person. In Calculus, I have 3 homework assignments every week. Each assignment contains 10-20 questions. Those are not purely single questions. Each question has a, b, and c parts. If you wait until the night before the deadline to start, then, I believe you have to stay up until 3-4 am to finish the homework and you will do it in a rush and stressed. That is not healthy at all. Therefore, try my way. You may feel better.
That’s pretty much everything I have learned. So, after all, have I freaked you out about studying abroad yet? It’s okay. You will learn and grow. I know you can do it. Your journey may not be 100% like mine, but I’m sure there will be some ups and downs. Just don’t go through it alone. If you want more information or just want to connect with me for whatever reason, reach out. I am more than happy to talk to you. Good luck with your journey!
