How to Navigate American Courses, Tutoring Resources, Social Life and Even Campus Fashion
Welcome to higher education in the United States! It's bold, absurdly expensive, and probably very different than education in your country. So here are some tips to help you navigate the system and thrive.
1. American universities value dialogue and discussion. Come to class prepared. Do the reading, homework or problem sets. Speak up in class. Give your opinion and be prepared to defend it. Don't be shy about asking questions. You will be expected to offer evidence for your claims -- this means showing where the reading or research supports your point.
2. Prepare to read and write A LOT. American universities assign much more reading and writing than other institutions around the world. One way to negotiate the reading load and practice your English is to compare translations in your own language with the assigned text -- which is often from a foreign language text anyway -- Confucius, Plato, Hafez, Kant, Rousseau, Gabriel Garcia Marquez etc. translated into English. Reading simultaneous translations goes a long way to help you master language, concepts and ideas. Think about why the Plato or Confucius text you find in your own language seems different than the English language version you use in class.
3. Getting to know a professor is a gateway to understanding the system. Do it! See your teacher after class and/or in office hours. American teachers are required to give office hours and expect to see students, especially ones who might be more comfortable asking questions outside of classtime. If it helps, bring an international friend with you so you can both ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask your teacher to further explain or repeat something that was said in class. Such feedback helps the teacher know better how to slow down and ensure all students understand.
4. Check out the campus tutoring center as soon as you can. Many American colleges and universities have professional tutors, with whom you can make appointments for help with writing, speaking and working on course projects. There are also many specially trained peer tutors too. (These are other students.) Writing center tutoring is free! Or, rather, already paid for by your tuition, so make the tutoring center your new home!
5. Ask your teachers and tutors questions about writing and paper formats. Find out what kind of paper your teacher expects: A research paper with MLA or APA format or some other format? A policy memo? A report? What do such papers look like? Where can you find models and resources? Purdue OWL is by far the most popular, most respected on-line resource. Your university tutoring center may also have its own links and resources. Often the papers you write will not require the same style as a Wikipedia entry with long, background information and history. Rather, your teacher will have given you an essay question or prompt and asked you to answer a specific question, so get right to the point.
6. Be careful about using sources and plagiarism. Speaking of Wikipedia and the many other Internet sources that can fill in gaps for you, remember to CITE these. Simply rewording the Internet entry or research article is not enough. Use footnotes to show where you found the information or ideas you include. Be sure to consult different sources, comment on their various perspectives and then add your own voice to the scholarly conversation. Also a word about Wikipedia -- though it improves all the time and many people, including your professors use it, most will not accept Wikipedia as a reference because it is not -- yet -- considered a scholarly resource.
7. Ask your teacher to pair you with native speakers for group projects. Working closely with native speakers in class is the best way to get to know students outside your group of international students. Shared course work always provides a solid common connection. Native speakers can also offer insight into the grading and assignment system and answer many other questions you have. Step outside your group of international students as much as possible. At some schools there will be so many students from your own country it's too easy just to avoid English. Having a few friends who speak your language and know your culture provides a good support group, but can also be a hindrance.
8. Get to know first-generation Americans. A lot of native speakers are first-generation Americans, whose parents were born abroad. These students are often bilingual and have many shared experiences of navigating several cultures. Ask them questions and don't worry if you have to repeat your question several times because every native speaker, first-generation or not, has different abilities to understand non-native English.
9. Apply for on-campus jobs, attend campus events or join a cultural or religious community. It can be intimidating throw yourself into a work situation in a new country, but a few hours a week behind the library desk will give you great contact with the university culture at large. Or, if you can't fit a job into your schedule, attending campus events will also provide a wider perspective on your university. Events are good opportunities to befriend native speakers you've known only in passing from classes or the dorms. Also, cultural or religious communities offer welcoming and supportive environments, new connections and experiences.
10. Campus fashion may shock and divide you from native speakers. While some business and professional students dress as one might for work, most American students wear casual clothes on campus, unless they are headed to a special event or party. American campus fashion is diverse and often refuses categorization, but some generalizations can be observed: West Coast and some Midwestern universities tend to be less dressed up than the East Coast schools. Some people consider casual dress a reflection of the incredible expense American higher education. Many American families struggle to pay for college and shoulder outrageously large loans. High-end clothing may simply not be an option. Dressing down can be a statement that one's interests may not lie in material goods such as designer brands. You'll even see many of your teachers tend toward some variety of casual. However, for the extreme causal looks bordering on rumpled, ungroomed, and completely indifferent to aesthetics -- there's a word in Yiddish: schlumpy. There might be some schlumpiness on your campus -- sometimes it's a statement, other times it's just a random act of obliviousness. If you encounter schlumpiness, remain calm and wear whatever makes you feel comfortable.
Most importantly, remember Americans are eager to know you and help!
11. Some tips for American students as well:
a. If you see a group of international students sitting alone in your classroom, sit next to them and introduce yourself. Be supportive and encourage them to speak up in class. Don't interrupt an international student who might be searching for the right words.
b. Apply for a job as an English conversation tutor for international students in your tutoring center. It's a great campus job, looks good on your resume, and you'll make friends too.
c. Sign up for a language that many of the international students at your school speak. Language learning is fun and interesting, promotes campus cultural understanding, and exponentially improves your job prospects.
d. Choose your own cool fashion within your budget and slay any doubts about American style, you're about to step onto an international stage.