“Try everything once” is one mantra that helped me in my transition journey from India to the US. I was very excited to come to the U.S., and I think being excited lends itself well to dampening any culture shock. Obviously, there were differences in society and differences in the way people interact with you. At the very beginning, I felt a little bit out of place because I wanted friends like everyone else did. If you lead with kindness and curiosity, if you ask people questions, then they’re very willing to talk to you.
US Education system
The US education system provides a really good education. It encourages you to explore what you like, and it does not penalise you for not liking something, which I think is great. You are kind of forced to try everything. As part of the core curriculum, you may be able to take a philosophy class. If you’re a STEM major, you have to take some humanities classes. It encourages you to think in a completely different way, like, if you like it.
American universities have amazing libraries. Books are the most obvious thing about a library, but there’s so much more. You can borrow tools from the library. You can borrow movies from the library. You can borrow entire video game consoles. They will translate texts for you. There are infinite resources available, but you’re studying in the U.S. for a finite amount of time. If your program is one year, two years, or four years, then push yourself and do those things, because you’re not going to have the time later on. Make the time, do the thing, and if you don’t like it, don’t ever do it again.
Challenges of studying abroad
Most of my friends also left India when I left India. By maintaining those friendships with those people, I didn’t feel homesick. We would have reunions in the U.S. You get to talk in your own language; you get to go to restaurants and eat the food with your people. You can only do that with your chuddy buddies. Keep your chuddy buddies around. Don’t let them go. Maintaining those relationships take effort, but when I say effort, I mean a phone call once every few months. But make that phone call; talk to your friend. Talk to your parents too.
Another way to combat homesickness is to realise that you are there for a really good reason. You’re there because you deserve to be there. You’re there because you’re getting educated, you’re advancing your career, and you’re doing what you want in life. Very, very few people in the world get to do what they want to do. Most people are confronted with difficult circumstances that mean they have to make ends meet. They can’t just pursue their goals and aspirations. But if you come to the U.S. from India, you have this opportunity to pursue your dream. Staying focused on that makes you forget about homesickness.
When you get to the U.S., you’ve got nothing. You have to figure everything out yourself. You have to figure out the grocery store. You have to get a Social Security Number to get a job, but you also have to get a job to get a Social Security Number. That was a huge problem for me. I had to get the university to write me a letter that said, “We cannot give him a job without you giving him a Social Security Number. So we will just give him this employment title so you give him the Social Security Number.” You have to file your taxes yourself, stuff that you wouldn’t even conceive of as a student.
Food was a little bit challenging at the very beginning because I was a vegetarian. Learning basic cooking skills was essential to my being able to eat what I wanted to eat. Finding Indian food, if that was something that I wanted, was challenging, but I learnt how to cook very early on. I joined a culinary club in college. That’s how I learnt how to cook, and that’s also how I gained a lot of friends. I make dosa very frequently because you can buy the batter.
Advise prospective students to manage their finances (IN BOX)
Open a Roth IRA: If you’re eligible, open a Roth IRA and start investing instead of keeping money idle in a savings account.
Tax-Free Growth: Money in a Roth IRA grows tax-free, making it a smart investment option.
Start Small: As students, disposable income may be limited, but even small investments can add up over time.
International Students Can Invest: International students are allowed to open and contribute to a Roth IRA.
Balance Your Savings: Don’t put all your money into the Roth IRA—keep some aside in an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.
The author is a Sixth-year PhD student in Molecular Engineering, Materials Science track, from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.
