Introduce yourself. What is your first name, what is your major, what is your school, where are you from.
My name is Cheng. I am studying agriculture at Kansas State University, and I am from a city in the north of China.
What was your first impression of the USA?
When I first studied in the USA, I was in Tennessee. I was surprised at how similar it was to China: the buildings, food, and grocery stores did not seem strange to me. What was different was the tuition. It is so expensive in the USA. Also, I found that people here were very nice. They planned activities so it was not hard to meet people.
What advice would you give to an international student who is coming to the USA for the first time?
The best advice I can give is to go to your school’s new student orientation. It is not a waste of time. The lectures are short, and they will tell you all kinds of useful information about transportation, scholarships, clubs, mobile phones, and introduce you to the culture of your university. At KSU, the marching band came and played for us.
The second piece of advice is to keep busy but use your time wisely. Work hard at your studies and keep a focus on your GPA. It can be easy but if you waste time, everything is hard.
What have you enjoyed about being involved with Bridges International?
I love the hiking club, which is a new experience for me. It is the perfect moment to meet people, get exercise, and explore nature. I have seen things like bears, deer, the change of leaves in the fall, fossils, mountains, and lakes. Bridges provided evenings to dance, do art, and bake together.