1. Be open-minded while being prepared!
The college experience is unique and personal in every aspect. In order to experience college to the fullest, I think being open-minded is extremely important. The open-mindedness not only applies to the new sport, academic field, celebration that you will try but also to the people you meet throughout the journey. I want to clarify that some preparation prior would not conflict with being open-minded. Instead, adequate preparation can enable you better experience new things open-mindedly and without unnecessary worries. I think the cold weather in Hanover is a perfect example to illustrate the point. Before coming to Dartmouth, I knew that Hanover winter would be freezing cold, especially to someone like me who has lived in a country with a tropical climate for the past 18 years. Packing some winter clothes and jacket is the adequate preparation that would allow me to survive the beginning of winter term and able to participate in other fun winter activities that I have never tried in my whole life, such as skiing (one tip I later found out to be helpful is that it might be better to not bring all your winter clothes or try to buy them from where you are because there will be plenty winter clothes thrift shopping opportunities during the end of fall term/beginning of winter term. You can get some amazing cheap clothes from there!). The cold weather is indeed only a small part of the winter term. The preparations that I did beforehand would allow me to explore and enjoy the new things open-mindedly.
2. Explore as much as you can and take your time to adjust and find your places
Moving on to college from the high school bubble is tough, let alone coming from a different country and culture. Personally, being able to find my own place in any environment that I’m in is very important because it will ultimately make me feel comfortable and grow quickly. During these two years at Dartmouth, I learned that it takes time to find your own places and it is absolutely fine if we never find one. Everyone has a different pace and I think it is especially crucial to give yourself sometimes given that you are still navigating new cultures, living and learning styles, social life, weather, and etc... Navigation is key but the ability to stand up and have the courage to continue exploring and persisting is even more critical. If I can tell my freshman self one thing, I will definitely tell her to let go of the anxiety and wholeheartedly enjoy the process of adjusting, exploring, and navigating while maintaining her own identity and background.
3. Remember to keep in touch with the support system you have at home
With the crazy 12 hours’ time difference and the busy schedule, I found it difficult to schedule calls with friends and family back home. However, I soon realized midway through the fall term of my freshman year that maintaining the connection that I have back home is crucial for my personal well-being. Slight changes of schedule and efforts, such as waking up a little earlier during the weekend can easily make calling possible. These calls are indeed more than worthwhile. Sharing and hearing friends and family telling their recent encounters become great opportunities for me to recharge and rewind myself from the packed commitments. Moreover, sometimes it might be hard to share the difficulties and struggles that you encountered here at Dartmouth with the people beside you or you might just want some outsider perspectives or simply a listener who understands and knows you. In this case, I think talking to friends or family back home can be really beneficial.