Hi guys! I’m glad that Mr. Berg gave me a chance to share my story with you. I’m not going to lecture you about anything since I’m not qualified to do that. I’m merely a freshman, and I know that lots of you are much better students than I was, so I’m just going to give some of my humble advice to you. I hope it will be helpful.
Frankly, I usually laugh at those sentimental students who always post something about how much they are missing their homeland, and I never believed that I would ever become one of them. However, the truth is that no one’s heart is made of iron, we all feel homesick. This was my first Mid-Autumn Festival overseas here in America. It was the first time I almost cried because I missed all my family members and friends. Luckily, the melancholy soon faded away under the great pressure of my overwhelming school work. Please don’t forget why you decided to study aboard. If you still remember the reason, keep fighting for it; if you don’t, then it’s still not too late to come up with one. No one will hold you by the hand to guide you through your challenges, so learn to control you feelings, and convert those feelings into your motivation.
Another important thing that you have to develop is your own way of managing time. University is like a microcosm of society. You will meet lots of different people everyday. You will be attracted by various clubs and parties, and most importantly, you will meet your beloved person. So, how you allot your time will become the most important thing in your daily life. There may only be an hour or two hour interval between two classes, so you have to be able to use this period of time wisely. Even though it seems to be a very short time interval, it accumulates everyday. If you use this spare time wisely, you will discover by the end of the semester how much difference you made.
As I said previously, no one’s heart is made of iron, so crushing on someone is a must in university. I have a friend here who used to be very hard working, but as soon as he found a girlfriend, his scores plunged. But this can’t be a reason for you to give up dating in university. What I want to express is that you have to manage your time wisely, for example you need to have a clear mind about when you’re going to study and when you’re going to date. Everyone is different, so try your best to balance your own priorities.
Most importantly, know who you are. Lots of students who did a pretty good job in high school may lose their direction in university because the level of difficulty soared abruptly. I used to think that my English is pretty good, but I soon found out that I’m nothing. It’s ridiculous to compare our English skill with these native speakers in university, so what we can do is never stop learning English. As for other subjects, I bet that the same subject you had an alright time learning in high school will blow your mind in university. So staying humble and learning everything step-by-step is the only way to achieve success. Remember to “stay hungry and stay foolish.”
This is all that I want to share with you guys. I hope this short letter helps.
STEVEN WU