Month: October 2018

College Life

How to Learn English Fast (Outside the Classroom)

Esther Tokognon

Learning English as a second let alone a third language is hard. Trust me I know! English was the fifth language I learned, and now, it’s the language I feel the most comfortable with! But that definitely wasn’t always the case.

When I first came to the United States, I barely spoke any English. Enough to go through customs, which was heavily reinforced by hand signals. After taking the English placement test to see what level of English class I needed to enroll in, I did surprisingly well. I only had to take 6 credits of ESL courses – dedicated to International students. At the same time, I was enrolled in a Public Speaking class and a Math class. Here are some of the steps I took outside the classroom to become more comfortable with English.

Limited my interaction with people that spoke my native language: This doesn’t mean that you need to stop talking to them, but the less time you spend speaking your native language, the better. When I first arrived to my dorm, I did not have a roommate, but I was blessed to have two Togolese students as suitemates. Togo is about 3 hours drive from Benin – my native country. Both countries share similar culture, and speak some of the same languages.  Being 6,175 miles away from family, it was nice having people with a similar cultural background. The only problem was that we were always speaking French. We also didn’t like the cafeteria food and would rather cook for ourselves and eat together, which limited the level of interaction we had we native English speakers. My priority was to succeed in America and I needed to speak proper English to do that. How can I do that if I am always in my room speaking French and not getting out of my comfort zone?

Got an American roommate: At the end of my first semester, I told the residence director I wanted an American roommate. That way, I would be forced to speak English. The key to learning English fast is total immersion into an English-speaking environment. The next semester, my roommate was American. And the two Togolese students were still my suitemates. Perfect balance!

Didn’t limit my interaction to just my American roommate: Practice with any native speaker as often as possible. This will also help you learn slang and colloquialisms, which are important if you want to fully immerse into this environment. Also, one of the problems that international students face the most when learning American English is being able to listen and understand. In general, Americans speak very fast. But not every American speaks at the same speed or has the same accent. Practicing with a variety of native English speakers will expose you to different accents, speed and ways of speaking.

Joined clubs and organizations: This is a great a way to meet people, make friends, and practice your English at the same time. If you would like to learn more about all the clubs available at your campus, talk to your International Student Advisor. When it comes to clubs off campus, I really like https://www.meetup.com. You can join a group and meet people near you who share similar interests. If you love to volunteer, try https://www.volunteermatch.org to find volunteering opportunities in your area.

Watched movies in English: If you are a beginner, leave the subtitles in your native language then switch to English subtitles as you progress and finally remove all subtitles. This was the first strategy I used when I was still in Benin and was preparing to come to the United States. Take your time and make sure you understand what you are watching. I found this website that has a list of 10 modern American classics movies for learning English. It also has some tips on how to learn English through movies and films.

Finally, a strategy that I never used but that I’ve heard is very helpful:

Play video games in English: This is the only advice on this list that I didn’t follow myself as I am not a gamer. However, I have so many friends that found this very useful. If playing video games is something you are really passionate about and that you spend a lot of time doing, learning English while playing will be beneficial.  

Improving your English is all about practice!


Professional Life

Career Tips for College Students

Esther Tokognon

Deciding to go to college was a great decision for me. My time at college really put me on the path to economic success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn on average  up to 65% more per year than those with a high school diploma. College graduates are likely to have better living situations and are more likely to positively influence the people around them than non-college graduates.

But it takes more than just showing up to class everyday. There is so much more to college than just textbooks and tests. Learning how to take advantage of all the resources available to you is essential to putting yourself on the road to success.

We all know college is extremely expensive, especially in the United States. Here are 7 career tips for college students that will allow you to make the fastest return on your investment.

Start thinking about your future career NOW!

It’s never too soon to start thinking about your career. In my experience, most college students don’t seriously start thinking about their career until they are close to graduating or even until after they’ve graduated!

Trust me, this will make it very difficult to find a job. Employers are looking to hire people with experience, and college is a great place to gain that experience. Having a career path in mind from the beginning will allow you to be on the lookout for opportunities to gain experience in your field. For example, a lot of science majors are able to work in real science labs alongside actual scientists!

Don’t worry, if you find yourself on a career path that isn’t right for you, or you just aren’t enjoying the courses as much as you thought you would, you can always change your major. You don’t have to commit to anything, so you decide on a career path early and start getting all of the experience you can!

Pick a major based on your interests and strengths

Some students apply to college knowing the field they want to study, others are undecided. As you are going to college, it is important to find choose a major that aligns with your interests and strengths. When choosing a major, you should look at all the courses that are included in that program, the jobs you could get after, and their respective projected career earnings. 

Most schools offer all the courses required for that major on their website. Reading through the courses in a major is a great way to get an idea of what that major will be like. 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a website produced by the US government. It shows the average salary someone can make in many different professional fields.

For those that need more help deciding what major to study, take this Major Quiz to view a list of majors that could be a good fit.

Take advantage of the Career Development Center

Your college’s Career Development Center should be one of the places you visit the most. It has a ton of resources that can help you succeed. They can help you write a resume (also known as curriculum vitae or CV). It’s really important to always have an up-to-date resume available, you never know when it might come in handy. Getting assistance with your resume is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language. A well-written resume is essential to finding a job after college!

Another advantage of using the career development center is that they are in contact with many companies and can assist you with finding job openings and internship opportunities. For students who aren’t sure which major will fit them best, the Career Development Center can help with that too.

Get involved:

Getting involved by joining a club or organization on campus or off campus is a great a way to meet people with similar interests. Participating in a club or organization will help you develop skills and qualities that will help you land your first job. This is a great way doe international students to get out of their comfort zone and interact with peoples. This is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language! Employers are always looking to hire people with strong communication skills. People To People International, Rotaract Club, Model Union are a few good clubs that you can consider joining. Volunteer work is also a great way to help your community, and many employers expect to see volunteer work on your resume. Your university will have a list of all the clubs and organizations available.

Network

Getting involved, whether on-campus or off-campus, opens the door for networking. Start meeting people in your field of study and build relationships and connections. Find a mentor who will share their knowledge with you. Often times, students find out about job openings through their professional connections. These people will also be able to write letters of recommendation for you.

Create a LinkedIn account

Use LinkedIn to grow your network and keep up with your connections. Create a LinkedIn account as soon as you start college and add all of your achievements as you go. Classmates and professors can also write on your page to endorse you. I wish that I would’ve joined LinkedIn as a freshman. Don’t wait, sign up now!

Internship, part-time job or work-study

Use your LinkedIn’s Job search engine to look for internship or part-time jobs.Other websites like Indeed and Monster are also great job search tools. Having some work experience through internship or work-study is very important. For international students, reach out to your International Advisor before starting a job search as there are some visa restrictions. The last thing you want is to find yourself in the situation of illegal employment. International students should read this article to learn more about the various employments options they have such as work study, OPT, CPT …etc.

Follow these career tips! Good Luck!

College Life

7 Tips to Survive American Winter

Esther Tokognon
American winter and snow

Temperatures are dropping and the coldest weather is around the corner. Winter can be hard for immigrants, especially those of us coming from warm environments. Those of you living in the southern states probably don’t need to worry, but any of you living in the green or blue states on this map… pay attention! Here are few tips that you can use to survive this winter, especially if it’s your first winter ever.

Get your flu shot

Winter is the time of the year when influenza infection is at it highest. It’s recommended to get vaccinated to help prevent against as tens of thousands of people die from it every year. If you just arrived to the United States and don’t have a physician yet, I encourage you to go to Walmart, CVS, Walgreens or your local pharmacy to get vaccinated. Most international student insurance plans cover the flu vaccine. If you aren’t sure, reach out to your international student advisor. Click here to learn more about the flu vaccine.

Increase your intake of vitamin D

Winter tends to be a depressing time for many people. Shorter days and less sunlight contribute to that. Our bodies rely on vitamin D to properly function, and our bodies need sunlight to produce Vitamin D. Increasing your consumption of foods rich in Vitamin D can be helpful. Salmon, Tuna, Oatmeal, Milk, and Mushrooms are all rich in Vitamin D, but a more convenient option is to buy a Vitamin D supplement. You can buy those at Walmart, CVS, Walgreens or your local grocery store or pharmacy. This is especially important for people with darker skin, since it’s harder for us to absorb sunlight.

Invest in good winter clothing

You probably already know that you need winter boots and a jacket, but the type of winter clothing that you buy will have a huge impact on your enjoyment of the season! For those of you that have never experienced winter, it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. I recommend you invest in good winter boots and a good winter jacket and expect to spend $100+ for each. The best deals can be found in malls and outlets. Nordstrom Rack, Marshall’s, Ross, and TJ Maxx are great places to look. I wouldn’t recommend buying winter clothing online if you aren’t experienced.

When searching for good boots, look for ones that provide the most warmth, comfort, are waterproof, and have good traction on the soles. When it comes to a good jacket, ensure that it has a weather-proof outer shell, pockets, adjustable hood and most importantly, that it keeps you warm. The North Face is a great brand, especially if you’re living in one of the northern states. One important thing to keep in mind when shopping for winter apparel is to go a size or two up, to leave some room for the extra clothes you’ll wear underneath.

Invest in good winter clothing and layer up

Other than a good winter boots and a good winter jacket, you will also need warm sweaters, jeans, thick leggings, hats, scarves, socks and gloves. Wear leggings under your jeans and a sweater under your winter jacket. Hats, scarves, gloves, and thick socks are also essential. 

Use the weather app on your phone

Winter is the time of the year when checking the weather forecasts, whether it’s on your phone, computer or TV. You need to know what the day is going to be like so you can plan and dress accordingly.  You never want to be stuck outside due to a snowstorm or icy road conditions. Frequently checking the weather forecasts will help you stay safe and allow you to change your plans as needed.

Leave your house ahead of time

If you have to be somewhere when road conditions are less than ideal, leave your house ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time so you don’t find yourself rushing on the road. Don’t ever feel rushed when ideal driving conditions are not met. Your life is important!

Invest in a small heater

If you live in a building that is always cold even during the winter or if you have roommates that like the apartment/or dorm room a little cooler than you, get a small space heater! This is a problem that most international student face when they share campus rooms or apartments with American students. As most Americans are used to winter, getting your own personal heater will reduce conflict. You can get affordable ones at Walmart or Amazon.

American Culture

Brace yourself, Halloween is around the corner!

Esther Tokognon

For many of you, this Halloween will be your first American holiday experience!

You might be wondering where the tradition came from. Halloween evolved from an ancient Irish holiday that marked the end of summer and the harvest season. When the Irish immigrated to America during the Great Famine in the 1800’s, they brought the holiday with them. They would go door-to-door asking for food and gifts and offer to pray for the dead. 

The modern-day definition of Halloween is very different than what it used to be. Now Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31st, and consists of fun activities and events including dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins and watching scary movies.

 It’s an opportunity for people to go out with their friends, meet their neighbors and interact with people. One of my favorite parts of Halloween is that there is no dress code; you can really let your creativity shine. It’s also a way to teach children about giving and receiving. Halloween is a great opportunity for people of all ages to come together, celebrate and have fun! 

The first Halloween experience of my life was during my Freshman year. Our dorm was transformed into a Haunted House, and each floor had its own spooky theme. It was the first time I truly came out of my comfort zone since I moved to America and started making friends.

Almost every school has some sort of Halloween event, you just need to find out where it is and start socializing. And don’t worry if you can’t find a costume. Most people wear costumes, but wearing your normal clothes are perfectly fine too. The key is to have fun and be safe!

 Here is a quick guide to understanding some of the traditions of Halloween:

  • Costumes: Your costume is the first thing to think about after being invited to a Halloween party. Search the web to get some ideas. Personally, I use Pinterest to brainstorm costume ideas. Halloween costumes can be scary, funny, or just plain silly. A lot of people like to dress up as their favorite celebrity.

Where to buy costumes?:  Make your own! Be creative! You can even just buy a cheap white sheet from Walmart, cut out holes for your eyes and go as a ghost! There are so many options. Amazon, Walmart, Party City, Spirit Halloween all carry costumes that are affordable and ready to wear.

  • Trick-or-Treating: Trick-or-Treating is a Halloween tradition where kids go around their neighborhoods, knock on their neighbors doors and yell “Trick or Treat!”. The kid holds out a bag and the neighbor is expected to put a piece of candy inside. If you live in an area with a lot of kids, it might be a good idea to buy a bag of candy (make sure it is pre-packaged). Fun-size candy bars are a common choice, which can be found at most stores like Walmart. Putting a sign out to let kids know that trick-or-treaters are welcome is recommended too!
  • Scary movies: Watching movies is fun, watching scary movies is even better (unless you’re like me and get scared easily)!. There are tons of horror movies that you can find on Netflix or Prime TV. If you don’t have those paid online streaming services, then Youtube is your best friend.
  • Haunted houses: When I lived on campus, my dormitory was transformed into a haunted house each year for Halloween. Haunted Houses are buildings or houses that people set up and allow visitors to walk through. They are filled with creepy decorations and people in costumes that jump out and try their hardest to scare you. Some Haunted Houses are scarier than others, but be careful if you’re easily scared! 
  • Pumpkin Carving: Pumpkin carving is probably the least scary, but still fun halloween tradition. I was never good at pumpkin carving until my coworker told me about some cool templates I could download off the internet. Just print them off, buy a pumpkin from the grocery store, scoop out all the stuff inside the pumpkin, place the template over the pumpkin, and cut out the shapes. Here’s a website that has some really cool pumpkin carving ideas, as well as resources and tips on how to do them. They also have some free patterns that you can download and use. https://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving/pumpkin-carving-ideas/

There are probably a lot of halloween themed events happening around you, search the web and go have fun!