Right now, for the recently graduated class of 2011, the mail box is their greatest enemy. Many are waiting to hear back from universities, hoping for that thin envelope of the acceptance letter, fearing the even thinner envelope of rejection. It’s like putting your hand in a snake hole each time you check your mail box.
It’s a reasonable anxiety. You’ve worked hard to come this far and you aren’t sure what lies ahead. Many of you plan to sail far away from Taiwan, away from the familiar and comforting, and off to University Land. The next chapter of your life seems to hinge on a piece of paper.
Even though I’m speaking to you from University Land, I can still remember my last three years very clearly, and what it was like to be a recent graduate. I graduated from the class of 2008. I’m currently in Seattle, working towards transferring into the University of Washington. It’s not been an easy journey getting here, but I’ve been very grateful for the challenges put in my way, which I hope to share with you. I was not a wise person when I graduated from high school, but now I’m sporting a long white beard, like the old man from every Kung Fu movie. And for that reason I hope that the class of 2011 will eagerly anticipate, not fear, the transition into University Land. Because who wouldn’t want an awesome beard?
The first challenge to anticipate is culture shock. For the students moving away from Taiwan, you will likely experience this. It’s been one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face these last three years. My first year at St. Olaf College was a sharp lesson in how to deal with it.
St. Olaf College is nestled in the rural American dairy town of Northfield, Minnesota. The cows outnumber the people and there are no mountains in sight, only flat, rolling plains. The student counselor there warned me of the pervasiveness of culture shock, but I brushed it off as something I would easily overcome. I grew up in Taiwan and graduated from an international high school. I was practically a cultural superman! But soon the American food at the cafeteria shut down my appetite and I started taking the longer walk to class to avoid seeing any more Caucasian faces. Culture shock has real and lasting effects on a person. It wasn’t merely that Taiwanese and American cultures were different; it wears you down because you feel as if you can’t escape the constant barrage of differences. It’s an endurance test.
There is no easy way to deal with culture shock. It’s still nearly a daily occurrence for me, but it doesn’t affect me as much. The way I dealt with it at St. Olaf was to start cooking for myself. Finding a solo activity that takes your mind off of your emotions is more constructive than fixating on yourself. In the confusing storm of cultural differences, sometimes you simply need the time alone to reaffirm that you are a whole and complete person, capable of small accomplishments, like producing a batch of cranberry oatmeal cookies. Then share your cookies with other international students, who are likely in the same position of cultural adjustment as you are. You don’t have to get along with other international students simply because you may similarly share an international viewpoint, but it helps to be able to connect in simple, basic ways, and at your own pace – over a snack or meal.
After that, however, you still need to interact with non-international students. Isolating yourself within a niche narrows your experience and perspective. I avoided a lot of the American students I met because I felt like I couldn’t connect with them. What was acceptable behavior for them was offensive to me. It took me a long time to learn the correct balance between getting along with people I felt little connection with and keeping my own principles. Make yourself available. Learning how to listen without agreeing is a hugely beneficial skill for this. Save the confrontation for people who are worth the conflict – your friends or people you respect. Non-internationals will have different viewpoints for you to consider and learn from, and it will likely be the dominant culture. In the end, you will have done yourself and others a disservice by narrowing your social groups.
As graduates of the IB, the academic work your university throws at you will not be an impossible challenge. What is different is the academic system. At TES, your days were scheduled for you and the teachers were like your second parents, pastoring nearly every aspect of your school life. Everyone wanted you to succeed and there were safety nets set up in the system to make sure you didn’t lag behind. For this reason, the transition from TES to university can be like stepping off the edge of a cliff. In University Land, no one even thinks to remind you of what needs to get done; your classmates are managing their own lives and the staff members are busy with their own careers. No one tells you about the internship experience that is required for your degree or how to register for classes. Everyone assumes you are aware of everything.
Granted, this is a silly assumption, but in the adult world, everyone flies solo. You may feel the pressure to be instantly competent at everything that is required of you. The first time I registered for classes, I was too embarrassed to admit that I had no idea what I was doing and I didn’t know who to ask for help. At first, it will feel like you’re flying blindly into a cloud. Getting over the initial embarrassment is the first step. What you soon realize is that all adults can be just as awkward and embarrassed if put in an unfamiliar situation. Just go to a bank or licensing office and watch them fill out long, complicated forms that they haven’t a clue about. It’s hilarious and comforting. Not knowing how to do things is simply a part of adulthood. The solution is simply to ask questions. If you’re unsure how to apply for scholarships, ask anyone within arm’s reach – your roommate, the janitor. They may not know, but they will direct you to the right person. The more questions you ask, the more willing people will be to help you. Keep asking until you accomplish your goal.
In University Land, you’re not only in charge of your academic work, but serious, practical matters like which pair of snow boots to buy – the one with Pocahontas tassels or the one with flames painted on the side? You will be asked to make choices you never knew were available to you – choices that suddenly matter – whether or not you can balance internships with schoolwork, whether or not to talk to an academic counselor. This is the double-edge sword of being a university student. Nearly every choice is yours for the taking, and every choice has consequences. The practical, non-academic choices you make will be as or more important than how well you do in class. You will find that you are actually perfectly capable of making wise choices, if you are aware of all the options and the consequences they entail. The key is foraging for that sort of information. Here, again, asking questions is the solution, even if you feel embarrassed.
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| Flaming snow-boots are good for building zombie snow-men. |
My brother Geoffrey wanted to know how to have fun as a university student. Glad to see he has his priorities straight. With a mountain of new responsibilities, it becomes harder to blow off an entire afternoon playing Minecraft. It doesn’t mean university students can’t have fun, but the nature of their recreational activities change. The activities become more ambitious and time-consuming to plan: cooking an elaborate breakfast with your friends, coordinating someone’s birthday party, or going on a road-trip. It will take more energy to arrange, but it’s a sort of fun that is more rewarding. Of course, you can still hollow out an entire cave on Minecraft, if you like, but your options have opened up, and, as you get more confident as an adult, you will naturally gravitate towards those new options.
Lastly, let me share some miscellaneous pieces of advice. One: Getting along with your university professor can significantly help your grade. Even if you’re not struggling with the coursework, having them know and like looking at your face will nearly always play in your favour. A week or so after your term has started, make an appointment with them, simply to introduce yourself. Pretend that you don’t understand a piece of homework, if you need a precedent. Professors are usually happy to help you outside of class, if they have the time. And if you become friendly with one of your professors, they might write you a letter of recommendation down the road. These will be useful for getting into internship programmes, applying for scholarships, or if you’re seeking employment.
Two: your university has a wealth of academic and non-academic programmes just waiting for you to discover them. They may not advertise themselves very obviously, but making use of their services will be one of the smartest things you ever did. I ignored the student services center for a long time, until I had trouble picking a major. I found that the school had free career interest tests and instructors who could pull up data on the current fastest-growing industries.
Three: saving a safe source of transportation will make a huge difference. This is especially true if you plan to move to the United States, where public transportation is scarce. Do a background check on your classmates and find out who amongst them have cars. Do what you need to make one or all of those people your friend.
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| Pictured: me and my driver. |
To conclude – you will probably forget everything you’ve just read by tomorrow. Your mail box will still seem like a pit of snakes. Your first year of university will still be a confusing and exhilarating in turns. No amount of advice is meant to replace the lessons learnt from actually going through life and experiencing it yourself. I’ve learned lots along my three year journey. What I’ve learnt will stay with me for a long time, but only because I’ve lived it. I only hope these pieces of advice will help you look forward to the experience of university for yourself. You have so much to learn because you capable of so much more than you already are. And that’s certainly something to get excited about.
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