Making the decision to study abroad and away from your own country is a tough one and it can be very stressful. Living and studying in the United Stated will be something completely new to you if you are from any other part of the world and there are certainly a lot of things you won’t know before you actually start living there.

In most cases, movies are painting an ideal picture of what it is like to study abroad and most students are expecting a lot more than they will actually get. While some things might be similar, there will always be things one should know about applying to a college in the United States. Here are some important things to keep in mind.

1. Universities vs. Colleges
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The very first thing you should know about studying in the United States is that universities are called colleges. In most countries around the world, the term college is being used to explain a type of education less valid than that of universities.

In the US, colleges and universities are the same thing and this is something you should know from the beginning in order to avoid any confusion when picking the course of your choice.

2. The price of textbooks

You have probably seen a movie or two, or even a post on Reddit, where an American student is complaining about all the money they will have to invest into buying their textbooks for a semester. These are in fact the most expensive thing you will need to pay for during your college years.
In order to make this a little simpler and more affordable for you, you should make sure to always ask the professor if you will need to study from a certain textbook or not. In many cases, you might end up never needing the textbook and wasting your money for no reason.

3. Keep notes in your classes

Attending your classes and especially keeping notes is the number one thing that will help you succeed in your studies in the US. Textbooks aren’t always needed and most of the time they are too heavy to carry around with you.

By keeping notes throughout the semester you will be able to know exactly what to study when exam time rolls around. Sharing your notes with other people in your class could even help you make some new friends and find people to study with when you come across a difficult subject.
This way of studying will be a lot easier and you won’t have to struggle with memorizing everything from scratch since you will have already gone through everything once through your notes. An online
platform for translators such as The Word Point can help you get a better understanding of how to keep notes the right way and excel in your studies, especially if English in not your native language.

4. Finding the right studies

One of the best things about the American educational system is that you don’t have to compromise with studying something you are not enjoying. If you find that you don’t like the course you applied for, you can always change the courses and even the college you are attending.
It’s not rare for many students to have more than one major and you can even change your major as many times as you wish if you realize it’s not the right one for you. Lastly, you can also use your college credits in order to swap colleges and not have to pay anything for it.

5. You should have your ID at all times

Carrying your ID with you is always important. Being an international student, you should always have your ID and/or passport with you in order to prove your country of origin and your credentials.
On top of this, you will have to show your ID when buying drinks in any bar, as most have a strict 21 and up policy!

6. Managing your expenses

You have probably heard that US colleges are some of the most expensive in the world. While this applies for some, it is not the general rule. In fact, your college expenses will cover a lot more than just your education. You will be able to have medical insurance, accommodation in the dorms and other important benefits.

7. Networking is important

Making friends and meeting new people will really help you feel less lonely and allow you to create contacts with people who could help you evolve professionally in the future.
Since you will be a foreigner, networking is really important, especially if you wish to live and work in the US after your studies have been completed.

8. Participating in classes

The best way for your professors to notice you is by you participating in their classes as much as you can. While you might feel shy and nervous, don’t hold back from replying to their questions.
Even if English is not your native tongue, you should still try asking questions and answering to your professors so that you can practice and get to know them too.

9. There is no special dress code

You really don’t need to worry about showing up to class in a certain uniform or any sort of proper clothing. Most students will just roll into class in sweatpants or leggings and their warmest, most comfortable hoodie.

10. College clubs play an important role

College clubs in the US turn strangers into good friends and they can play a very important role in your networking and friendships. The good thing is that there are many different clubs you can join based on your interests and skills and you can learn a new skill while going through you studies.

11. Ask for help if you need it

Studying abroad will be difficult for you and you might not be able to fully understand your textbooks or you might have issues with understanding what you need to do for a certain assignment. Asking for help from your professors and peers should always be your priority if you come across a difficulty.
You will definitely not come across as annoying. In fact, your professors will be happy to see that their international students truly care about their subject and about learning.

12. Your driver’s license is probably valid

Even though you should make sure to check the laws that apply in the state you will be living in, it is most likely that your driver’s license will be perfectly valid. This way you will be able to get a car, especially if you plan on staying in the country for a while.

13. Always be on time in class

While some countries might be more lenient when it comes to arriving to class, in America most professors will expect you to be there on time, every single time. Arriving on time, even a few minutes before your professor does will help you create a good impression.

14. Interacting with local students

If it’s your first time in the States, you should keep in mind that many of your fellow students who are Americans have probably never left the country. For your first few weeks there, you will sort of be a new attraction and people are bound to ask you a million questions.
While it might get a little annoying if it happens all the time, you can use it as an opportunity to socialize, make new friends and network with people from your campus.

15. Have a vocabulary list

If English isn’t your native tongue, you might have some difficulty understanding complex words and phrases. The good thing is that it is all a matter of practice, and you will be able to fully understand everything in a short amount of time.

The best thing you can do in order to help yourself in this situation is to always carry a notebook with you, where you will write down all the words you are unfamiliar with. You can even use an app on your phone such as Evernote and make audio recordings of the words you hear in order to practice them again later.

Studying in the US will be both stressful and fun

Above all else, you need to keep in mind that people will be very understanding about the fact that you will most likely not be familiar with the “American way” of doing things. Ask for help when you need it and make as many friends as you can. At the end of the day, your studies will one day end, so you should make sure to enjoy yourself as much as possible and not worry about the little things.

Which of these things about studying in the United States did you not know about at all?


Author Bio: Pauline speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian and currently she works as a translator at translation service TheWordPoint. She travelled the world to immerse herself in the new cultures and learn languages. Today she is proud to be a voting member of the American Translators Association and an active participant of the Leadership Council of its Portuguese Language Division.

Any language learner knows that the only thing that they really need to succeed is time. Lots of and lots of free time that they can dedicate to accomplishing their learning goals. Most of us have pretty busy schedules that don’t allow to allocate sufficient time needed to master a foreign language.

But what if you could learn a language without cutting time for your usual daily activities? It’s certainly possible if you apply creativity and planning! The big secret is to embed language learning activities into your daily schedule without interrupting or interfering with them.

There are many ways to do that, and if you want to know what they are, check out the rest of the article. You’ll see that learning a language on a busy schedule isn’t magic, but a matter of time.

1. Listen to Podcasts
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Podcasts, whether designed specifically for language learning or entertainment, are a popular way to learn a language. For example, they provide the much-needed practice of listening skills, help to build vocabulary by introducing new words, and become familiar with different styles of speech. Besides, not everyone has an opportunity to listen to native speakers.
They also have one major advantage for busy language learners: the convenience. One can listen to a podcast anytime, anywhere! For example, you can listen to podcasts:

• While commuting
• While eating
• While cooking
• While running errands that don’t require a lot of attention
• While waiting.

Moreover, podcasts can provide some additional motivation to learn if you listen to those
that include your interests.

2. Hack Your Gadgets to Use a Foreign Language

Many everyday objects that you come into contact with can be great helpers with language learning as well. For example, switch your computer, tablet, smart TV, gaming system, or smartphone to the language you’re learning and you’ll expose your brain to a lot of new words and phrases every day. As the result, you can enrich your vocabulary without doing anything that would take some time off your schedule.

3. Use Smartphone Apps

Apps are another powerful way to embed language learning into your daily routine because you can open them in a couple of clicks and start learning whenever you can. Given the abundance of language learning apps out there, you’ll have to trouble finding one that suits you.
To take advantage of this convenient method, go to an online app store supported by your system (Google Play, App Store etc.), and try searching for keywords like “language learning” or “NAME OF THE LANGUAGE learning.” You’ll discover a plethora of options, so read their descriptions and try some to see what they can give you.

And, of course, try to use them once you have a chance. Language lessons cover grammar, vocabulary, and many other important areas, and are typically short (3-5 minutes), so the only things required are your desire and consistency.

4. Write When You Have Free Time

Writing in a foreign language reinforces your vocabulary and helps to practice your grammar skills, so finding a way to incorporate this activity into your routine is a must. Throughout the day, you have lots of opportunities to practice writing. Commuting is one of them. If you have to commute to get to work/college, use this time to write.

You don’t have to have a prepared topic to practice. You can write about how your day has been like so far, choose some topics from lessons you took on your smartphone, or just write about something that interests you. Then, save that text and analyze it for grammar, punctuation, word selection, idea flow, and other characteristics later. A second look may reveal the mistakes you didn’t notice the first time.

One more thing: you don’t have to have a pen and paper to write! Feel free to use your smartphone’s word processor or a note taking app. They’ll make it easier to check grammar and spelling on your computer, which can be done effectively with Ginger Software.

4. Try to Write Down New Words

It’s a known fact that writing things down improves learning. According to Dr. Helen Macpherson of Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University who recently gave an interview to Huffington Post, when people write by hand, they have to coordinate verbal and fine movement systems.

​"And when we learn new information, for example at school or in a university lecture, we don’t write verbatim, which means we have to create our own summaries and concepts,” explains Dr. Macpherson.