All the way from China, Andrew has brought his friendly and sports-loving energy to UW-Stout as a GO:Prepared and High School completion student. Andrew explains that he was motivated to study in the United States because he had already experienced almost 18 years of education in China and wanted a change of pace. Sometimes his studies in China could be stressful and he wanted to learn a new way to study so he chose to study in the States. Furthermore, he wanted to have a global perspective not only in his studies but also in how societies and cultures differ in different parts of the world.
When asked about the biggest cultural adjustments he’s had to make since arriving, Andrew said the food and the way people live in the States. He shares that in China everything from classes to when and what you eat are set up either by the parents or the school. Here he has had to learn to do all those things for himself.
Andrew is currently in the final weeks of his GO:Prepared semester prior to becoming a full-time undergraduate student. He is also doing a high school completion course. When asked about any academic challenges he has faced so far and how he’s worked through them, he said his high school courses have been challenging: “I have studied civics courses before, but there are terms that have been hard to remember or understand. When I haven’t understood something, I do research online and discuss with my classmates until I fully understand the concept.”
He is convinced that he has been successful as a student so far because he has found tools to help manage his time. He likes to use Outlook calendar to schedule out his weeks and create reminders for himself of upcoming assignments. This helps him to have more free time to enjoy on and off campus events and social time with friends.
Andrew has taken full advantage of events that the University of Wisconsin-Stout organises, including a trip to Mall of America and an NBA game in Minneapolis. Not only has he had fun but, it has further helped him understand more about American culture.
Finally, Andrew was asked to share advice with students who are considering studying in the United States: “Just relax—if you are still working on becoming a strong English speaker, relax and have confidence in yourself. No matter if you are good or not, if you speak out, it is very easy for you to fit in and find friends here.
