Category: College Life

College Life

Don’t Highjack Your Success in America

Esther Tokognon
People holding American flag

I bet you’ve decided to study in the United States of America because of all the opportunities this country has to offer. I did too!  

If you’ve been reading my articles, you’ve probably realized that this country has a lot of rules that are present nowhere else in the world, but can be detrimental to your success. Although we each have our definition of success, I refer to it on this blog as steps you can take to make your time in America the best it can be! I started this blog because I know that adjusting in this country is hard. It’s very easy to get lost and forget the main reason why we came here.

Below are some rules and advice that may seem basic but are extremely important, especially for international students that are long ways from home. There are things that I learned throughout the years, and I would hate for you learn the hard way! Some of the advice on here are from things that I’ve seen happen to certain people that I know. 

Americans use Fahrenheit

Very few countries use Fahrenheit to measure temperature, the U.S. is one of them. You won’t need to adjust if you are from one of those countries. However, if you are like the majority of us, you will have to adjust to that. Use the weather app on your phone and always check the weather before going out. 

Taxes aren’t included in the price tag

Shopping wasn’t necessarily fun for me. Unlike the rest of the world that displays the full price of an item, Americans don’t do that. In the early days, I found myself having to return items several times cause the total came up a lot higher than I thought it was going to be 😥. There are however 5 states that have no sales tax – Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. If you live in one of those states then lucky you, but if you are like me, save yourself the embarrassment and plan for an extra 3%-10% of total price pf good purchased for state and local taxes.  

Ok, now let’s get into the most important stuff. 

Make friend with the right crowd

Bad things can happen to anyone anywhere. However, there are ways to reduce the probability of those things happening to you. We love America, and the fact that people have the freedom to do what they want. This is also why it’s important to not hang out with the wrong people and get dragged into trouble with them. You don’t want to have a criminal record because of something dumb you did. Entering the workforce in the U.S is very challenging for international students, but will be even harder if you have a criminal record. Please don’t hijack your success by making bad decisions! 

Must be 21 to drink

If you didn’t know that before, now you do! You must be 21 years old to order and drink alcohol. Please follow the rule, even if you were used to drinking alcohol back home. Don’t be tempted to get a fake ID, as you could face serious consequences if you get caught, which may include jail time. Also, even if you have an international passport that technically allows you to drive here, get your state’s driver’s license before you drive. Talk to your International Advisor if you are interested in applying for a driver’s license. Don’t highjack your success in America!

Do not apply for a credit card

Don’t get trapped into the American credit system. Again, as a newbie in America, steps you take now can positively or negatively impact your future. You have no business getting a credit card. Especially if you get them through stores. They make it sound like you will be getting a great discount by signing up for their credit card. Please refrain from doing that, as I know so many people that are now in debt and have ruined their credit score because they opened multiple credit cards with various stores. Your credit score is very important as it shows how fiscally responsible you are. In the event that you were to stay in America after you graduate, this number will be necessary if you want to buy a house, buy a car …etc. Click here to learn more about credit scores.

Please, please, please don’t make these mistakes that can highjack your success in America!

 

College Life

Tips to Start the Spring Semester Right

Esther Tokognon

Before you know it, the holidays season will be over and Spring semester will start at full speed.  Whether this is your first semester in College or not, there are actions you can take now to ensure you are ready to start the new semester. Below are some great tips to start the Spring semester right:

Register for your classes

Most universities or colleges will require you to go through an orientation program if the Spring semester will be your first semester in college. During this orientation session, you will meet with your advisor and register for your classes. However, if this coming semester will be your second one, you have less support. My advice is that you schedule some time to meet with your advisor as soon as possible so you can register for classes. It’s very important to do this as soon as possible because classes fill up quickly. 

Meeting with your advisor early on increases your chances of registering for the courses your major requires. If you do not register on time and all the classes required for your major fill up, your advisor will have no other option but to put you in classes that are available in order to help you maintain your F-1 visa status. Those courses may not be related to your major. 

Buy or rent your books:

Once you’ve registered for classes, look on your university’s website so you can get the list of the required textbook for the classes you register for. Once you have the list, do some research online. Unless the book you need is specific to your school, I do not recommend buying books from the school bookstore. I have spent hundreds of dollars on books I bought from the school bookstore whereas I could’ve spent way less by renting or buying online. These are the 2 websites that I often used throughout my college years that helped save me tons of money: Amazon and knetbooks. Valorebooks is also a great place to use when looking to rent or buy books online. Most of these websites offer free shipping and free return.  

Buy school supplies

Now that you have your books, make sure you buy general school supplies like pens, pencils, sharpies, notebooks…etc. or any school supplies you might need. Amazon and Walmart usually have the cheapest school supplies. By the way, if you are a regular reader of my articles, you will know how much I love Amazon. Amazon has made my life so much easier and that of many people around the world. 

Now that you have your books, make sure you buy general school supplies like pens, pencils, sharpies, notebooks, eraser…etc. or any school supplies you might need. Amazon and Walmart usually have the cheapest school supplies. By the way, if you are a regular reader of my articles, you will know how much I love Amazon. Amazon has made my life so much easier and that of many people around the world. 

Get ready for winter

I hope that you are by now ready for winter! However, if you’ve just arrived to the United States, I recommend you read my article about how to get ready for winter. It contains helpful tips to survive American winter. Like I recommended in that article, get a small heater if you will be living on campus and will have roommates or suite-mates, . This will save you so much trouble or roommates issues.

Plagiarism: The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act to steal and pass off the ideas or words of someone else as one’s own or to use an article without crediting the source”. American universities are very strict about plagiarism and punish it when it occurs. In most universities, plagiarism will automatically result in you failing that class. Some universities will even spell you. Although some teachers will quickly go over it with you when classes start, I recommend you take some time to research about plagiarism before school starts. 

College Life

Fun Inexpensive Outdoor Winter Activities

Esther Tokognon

So… it’s freezing outside. You’ve been spending the majority of your free time inside and are starting to run out of things to do. You’re probably asking yourself how anyone can possibly enjoy this crazy weather? The good news is, there are fun activities that you can do outdoor to remain sane. However, these activities require some preparation. Check out my article 7 Tips to Survive American Winter to learn more about how to survive American winter. 

Now that you have that down, let’s dive into the fun activities you can do during this freezing season: 

Photography: I personally think pictures of snow are the best. If you are into photography and own a camera, then this simple outdoor activity might be great for you. This article that I found has some tips on capturing the best winter photos: http://mycanvasblog.com/5-secrets-best-winter-photos/

Build a snowman or snow angel: A snowman is a sculpture made out of snow that resembles a man. You can make a snow angel by lying on your back in the fresh snow and moving your arms up and down and your legs from side to side. This will create the shape of an angel. You can get even more creative by painting the snow using food coloring mixed with water. Very fun activities for kids, young people and really anyone!  

Go ice skating: Ice skating can be intimidating, especially if you had never done it before. The first time I went ice skating was December 2012. Before getting on the rink, I was extremely nervous. I was worried I was going to hurt myself. However, seeing kids have fun even when they fell gave me the courage to let my guards down and enjoy the time I was spending on the ice. Beyond all the fun that you can have ice skating, this activity also has some surprising health benefits. Ice skating helps build stronger leg muscles, improve balance, endurance and better cardio vascular health. It also helps relieve stress, and we all know that college can be quite stressful. 

Sledding: Sledding consists of using a sled – flat plastic or aluminum discs – to travel down a snowy hill. Sledding was very popular when we had snow days in college because it is fun and very inexpensive. All you need is to purchase a sled, which can be done on Amazon or other stores. Sledding is a great activity as it also helps you socialize with those around you. Just be careful as sledding can cause some injuries, especially for very young people.  

Don’t stay inside, go out and have fun!

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!


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.