15 New Year's Resolutions You Can Make Right Now If You Want to Study in the US
We asked all our bloggers to share the one New Year's resolution someone should make if they want to study in the U.S. Submitted humbly in the hope that it will help you achieve your goals, here is their list of 15 resolutions you can make for 2012:
1. Get a calendar and mark all the deadlines for applications and exams. Keep it on hand. (Anna)
2. Start a list of colleges that give financial aid to international students. (Simba)
3. Watch as many TV shows as possible – you can learn lots of English from them and have something to talk about with Americans. But please do not overdo it, since some reality shows are not very brilliant. (Tara)
4. Relearn your math courses whether you like it or not, because we are required to take math again in college. (Ryan)
5. Work hard on your writing. Guys, this is the most challenging thing you will face when you start going to school. No matter how good you think you are in speaking English, writing is totally another story. (Mohammed)
6. Set yourself a fixed date to finish your entire application process. (Sebastian)
7. Learn more about the history of your country and why current affairs are evolving the way they are. You will be surprised by how much more some students will know about your country than you do. (Senzeni)
8. Keep in contact with some American friends to know more about American values and cross-cultural communication skills. (Dandan)
9. Learn how to cook your favorite meal. Even if your own native or ethnic food is available where you study, there’s nothing like a home-cooked local dish to impress your American and international student friends. (Nareg)
10. Get in touch with former classmates and other friends who are in the U.S. Use them as a resource to ask questions on whatever you are curious about. (Abhushan)
11. Check out VOA’s Student Union and other publications on what it’s like to be an international student in the U.S. (Nareg)
Editor’s note: Aw shucks! Thanks Nareg
12. When you’ve decided what university you are going to, try and find some contacts there (people from your own country or future classmates). It’s an opportunity to learn more about the part of the country you will be living in and might even be a chance to find roommates. (Olena)
13. Join Facebook groups of the college you’ll be going to, and try to make as many new friends as possible. When I reached college, I was already familiar with almost 30% of the students because we were Skype and Facebook friends. (Abhushan)
14. If you are coming to Minnesota especially, or any northern state, don’t forget to buy a winter coat, gloves and a winter hat. It’s FREEZING COLD here. (Mohammed)
15. How about a New Year’s resolution to finish THIS year’s resolutions? Let’s be honest – who here has completed all of their 2011 resolutions? (Alex)
What New Year's resolutions will you be making for 2012?
