Your bags may be packed, but are you really ready to go? Here’s a checklist of tips, quirky and mundane, to follow when you arrive at a foreign university for the first time
Accommodation: Confirm your housing before you reach. Staying on campus is great fun, but, if you are sharing a place with other students, read the fine print for stuff like unfurnished vs fully furnished houses, internet connectivity and cost etc.
PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK
Baggage: Don’t pack everything and the kitchen sink. Buy your woollens,
and even most of your pots and pans once you get there. Look for campus
yard sales because graduating students will need to dispose a lot of
their stuff, which you can get at a good rate. If you can’t live without
pickle, pack some in, but Maggi replacements are a-plenty!
Clothes: Again, you don’t need to take every piece of clothing you possess. Instead, choose a good mix so you have enough formal wear for orientation week and class presentations as well as fun beach and casual wear. Invest in a pair of smart walking shoes.
Drugs: While a drink or three with your new friends may well be inevitable, getting involved with anything stronger is just not worth it (think expulsion, jail-time and deportation). Also, the legal age to buy and consume alcohol is 21 years in the US and 18 years in the UK, Canada, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
Exams: The need to write two-page answers ended with your Class 10 Hindi exam. Abroad, each university has its own rules for exams and assignments, which will be explained at the beginning. Stick to these seemingly trivial tips before each submission because many professors may not accept your paper otherwise.
Flatmates: You may not be in the same classes or social groups as the students you live with, but your flat/roommates are the people you’ll have to go to when you forget your apartment keys or need to borrow milk, so be nice. And set a time and people limit for house parties!
Groceries: Eating out every day is exciting for the first week, after which it becomes unpalatable and unaffordable, so learn basic cooking. Student towns often offer good deals, for instance, cheap groceries after 10 pm, but check the product’s shelf life.
Homesickness: Keeping yourself occupied with numerous activities like student clubs, concerts, day-long excursions, etc that most universities offer through the international student’s office, is the most effective way to keep homesickness at bay.
Internships: A full-time job after your course is difficult to land in this economy, but take up as many internships as you can, even if they are odd jobs. The university’s career centre will list campus job requirements. Not only is this a great way to make extra pocket money, it will also look good on your CV.
Jaywalking: Unlike in Mumbai, traffic rules are actually taken seriously abroad. So pay attention to the pedestrian signs at stop lights and stay that extra minute longer on the kerb to avoid paying a fine, or, what is infinitely worse, being run over.
Kinship: While it’s easier to hang out with other Indians, make it a point to form social groups with students from different nationalities as well. Once you get past the first few awkward moments (if any), you will feel just as comfortable with them and get to learn more about their culture.
Language: In a similar vein, if you’re part a project group that
has a mix of Indians and students from other parts of the world, refrain
from speaking in Hindi or your mother tongue. It’s considered extremely
rude.
Money: Make the most of student deals and discounts and maintain a diary so you don’t overshoot your budget. Also, withdraw money from cash machines instead of keeping too much on your person.
Networking: Studying abroad allows you to connect face-to-face with people from various nationalities and academic backgrounds. And you don’t have to be an MBA student to know it’s profitable to network, both with like-minded people in your course for future career contacts, as well as with others, if only for your next holiday home!
Orientation: This may be a day or an entire week of feel-good speeches, helpful presentations about navigating through the campus and the city, and fun activities that serve as ice-breakers, so don’t miss it.
Plagiarism: A copy paste job is an absolute no-no for essays and assignments. Lifting content is heavily frowned upon and there will be an effective anti-plagiarism software to check this. Instead, visit the library, reference your sources and form your own arguments.
Queues: Forming lines is almost a way of life abroad, especially in the UK, where you will need to stand in a queue for just about anything— even at the bus stop. So resist the urge to push your way forward Mumbai-style to avoid dirty looks, or worse, racial slurs.
Racism: You do not call an African American person a Negro, or a homosexual person a fag. Avoid words you don’t know the clear meaning of and learn all you can about students from other nationalities to learn how to interact with them. This will also give them an opportunity to correct any prejudice they may harbour towards Indians.
Studying: You may have one final exam or submission, but you are constantly evaluated through essays, assignments and even group discussions. So, don’t neglect the academic bit.
Textbooks: College textbooks are expensive, and you can share them with your classmates or buy them from your seniors. Also, the libraries should have most of the books you will need to refer to, so make notes or photocopy pages you need for constant reference. Treat these books with care because they’re strict about returns.
Union: Become an active member of the student union that organises activities all year round and has various clubs—from sport and photography to performing arts and possibly a food tasting society. Joining these is a great to make friends and learn about new cultures.
Variation: No week is the same and though you need some routine to stay on track, it’s important to be flexible. For instance, your class may sometimes be in the form of a lecture, other times a seminar or even an impromptu group discussion or outing, so enjoy the ride.
Water: In the UK, Singapore and Canada, you can drink water
straight out of the tap. In the US, buy a water filter jug because the
piping system is rather old. Although tap water is safe in Australia/
New Zealand, but this is a dry continent and water is a precious
commodity. Use it judiciously. XYZ... Finally, remember to keep an open
mind and adhere to the rules of the country and university you are
studying in. Common sense, confidence and the right attitude will hold
you in good stead.
Money: Make the most of student deals and discounts and maintain a diary so you don’t overshoot your budget. Also, withdraw money from cash machines instead of keeping too much on your person.
Networking: Studying abroad allows you to connect face-to-face with people from various nationalities and academic backgrounds. And you don’t have to be an MBA student to know it’s profitable to network, both with like-minded people in your course for future career contacts, as well as with others, if only for your next holiday home!
Orientation: This may be a day or an entire week of feel-good speeches, helpful presentations about navigating through the campus and the city, and fun activities that serve as ice-breakers, so don’t miss it.
Plagiarism: A copy paste job is an absolute no-no for essays and assignments. Lifting content is heavily frowned upon and there will be an effective anti-plagiarism software to check this. Instead, visit the library, reference your sources and form your own arguments.
Queues: Forming lines is almost a way of life abroad, especially in the UK, where you will need to stand in a queue for just about anything— even at the bus stop. So resist the urge to push your way forward Mumbai-style to avoid dirty looks, or worse, racial slurs.
Racism: You do not call an African American person a Negro, or a homosexual person a fag. Avoid words you don’t know the clear meaning of and learn all you can about students from other nationalities to learn how to interact with them. This will also give them an opportunity to correct any prejudice they may harbour towards Indians.
Studying: You may have one final exam or submission, but you are constantly evaluated through essays, assignments and even group discussions. So, don’t neglect the academic bit.
Textbooks: College textbooks are expensive, and you can share them with your classmates or buy them from your seniors. Also, the libraries should have most of the books you will need to refer to, so make notes or photocopy pages you need for constant reference. Treat these books with care because they’re strict about returns.
Union: Become an active member of the student union that organises activities all year round and has various clubs—from sport and photography to performing arts and possibly a food tasting society. Joining these is a great to make friends and learn about new cultures.
Variation: No week is the same and though you need some routine to stay on track, it’s important to be flexible. For instance, your class may sometimes be in the form of a lecture, other times a seminar or even an impromptu group discussion or outing, so enjoy the ride.
Water: In the UK, Singapore and Canada, you can drink water
straight out of the tap. In the US, buy a water filter jug because the
piping system is rather old. Although tap water is safe in Australia/
New Zealand, but this is a dry continent and water is a precious
commodity. Use it judiciously. XYZ... Finally, remember to keep an open
mind and adhere to the rules of the country and university you are
studying in. Common sense, confidence and the right attitude will hold
you in good stead.
No comments:
Post a Comment