Tips to Stay on Task the Very First Week of School

One of the fear for new international students is that they may have trouble understanding the lectures in class. What are some solutions to this problem? One thing that international students can do is tell the professor ahead of time that you are a new international student and tell him/her your concerns. Majority of the time, the professor will work with you or they will go slower, so that you can understand the lectures too. Another thing is make a friend in the class. Tell them that you are a new international student and you did not understand what the professor have just said. Most of your classmate will tell you what they know and both of you can become future study buddies too. Last but not least, you can ask the professor if you can record the lecture. After you record the lecture, you can listen to it at home. This is one of the best thing to help improve you English. Therefore, do not be shy and ask your professor and/ or classmates to help you if necessary. 

Campus Picnic and Block Party

Many events are held on and around campus throughout the school year. We, the students, love going to events so that we are able to meet other students. Yesterday was the campus Block Party and Picnic. I am very sad that I was not able to really attend the event this year. Classes keep me so busy, but luckily I was able to walk quickly around the Block Party between my classes. There were so many booths and interesting things to look at and learn about. You even got to make your own stuffed Numa animal! The Block Party is a great opportunity to learn about other organizations you may not have known anything about beforehand. I would recommend stopping by the Block Party next year if you can. J

 

 

 

Don't Be Nervous

The first week of school is always scary, even if you are a senior. But the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, UAFS, is a very welcoming school. I love UAFS, it is a great school. Students here are very nice and love to meet all of the new students. I am a senior and I still get nervous for the first day of class. It is normal for students to be nervous when they are meeting new people and going places they have never been before. If you want to make new friends, UAFS offers many different events that give you the opportunity to meet other students. There are so many events and activities that are offered here on campus such as basketball games, baseball games, volleyball games, the block party, and many other events. If you go to any of these events, you will meet several new people and make friends. If you are shy, you should pair up with an American student or another international student who feels comfortable communicating with other people. I understand that it is very hard to make new friends, especially if you are an international student. But, you should always remember that the American students are just as nervous about meeting you as you are about meeting them. 

Making Friends

A few days ago, I was asked by an international student a simple question, but it took some time to think about it. She asked “How can I make American friends?” It was a simple question, but I had to think about my experience of how I made friends in college. I met those that when I approach them, they kindly talked to me and we were friends that quickly. Then I met those who I would wave my hand saying hello and going to talk to them, they look at me like I am some odd stranger and those rejections hurt. After much thinking, I’ve concluded that making friend is a process. First, I must start with priming and that means I need a good starter. The best one is a smile. I smile at them and watch for a smile back. If so, I proceed, with a “Hello, how are you?” conversation and watch for a response. Then, I want to do what I call scanning/ researching. In this phase, I would ask those questions about their classes or perhaps something that I know would be of interest to them and I would make a friend from there.

-Priscilla Her