Post By: Deepika Venkatesan, Peer Mentor 2022
I recall the first day I arrived in the United States. It was 9 months ago, and I was living away from home for the first time. I had conflicting feelings about the move, and I’m sure all of us would be happy, nervous, and intrigued all at the same time. I’m writing this blog to share my experiences with the experiences you could encounter during your first week in the United States.
I couldn’t get out of bed for the first several days after arriving in the United States due to jet lag. If you are traveling from another country, you may have the same experience. Prepare for this by getting lots of rest before your trip. Additionally, drink plenty of water and sleep when it’s night in your home country. You may quickly overcome jet lag if you follow these steps[1].
For students who are living away from home for the first time, the amount of documents we need to fill out and the plans we need to make for our stay here may be overwhelming. First and foremost, I visited the University to look at all the infrastructure available. I felt really proud that I got a chance to attend such a vast university with a beautiful campus filled with greenery. Here is a sneak peek[2] before you actually visit the University. Be prepared to indulge in this wonderful feeling as well 😉
Since you are relocating here, you will need to acquire all of the required stuff such as bedding, kitchen items, personal care products, and so on. If you did everything all at once, it would be extremely stressful. Make sure you prepare ahead of time and buy products one at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed or bad about spending a large sum of money all at once (I know I did). This is a typical feeling, but consider it for the larger benefit. The more comfortable you are, the more productive you will be.
It is critical that you develop friendships throughout your time here. Take the time to get to know your roommates or classmates by organizing a meetup. You may also join Facebook groups where you can set up gatherings for random people to join you. Isn’t it intriguing? The university also holds social events at regular intervals where you may get to know more students at the university. I remember attending a night party at the ARC, where I had a great time and met lots of new people. There were many entertaining games to participate in with your friends, which aids in the process of getting to know them. Attend these events and have a good time with your new friends.
As previously said, there will be several forms and processes to complete, which may appear tough at first. Check out the University’s post-arrival checklist[3] to make a list of everything you need to accomplish so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Make sure you open a bank account because you may need to pay for a variety of items. This is one of the most crucial things you must accomplish during your first week in the United States. It may be tough to use cash to pay for everything, so having a card comes in handy.
Finally, it is vital that you do all of these tasks while still having fun. This is your chance to unwind before beginning your studies on a fresh note!
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/how-to-get-over-jet-lag
[2] https://admissions.uci.edu/discover/visit/campus-tour.php