Get to w

ork!

Get to w

ork!

This panel will cover:

• What to buy and where to shop • How to take advantage of the ‘Opening Days’• Questions that Americans may ask you and how to

handle them• What to expect from your first few weeks here• Dealing with homesickness• Dorm life and living with roommates

What to Buy and Where to Shop

• Please refer to your hand-out. We will now use maps to show you locations in Harvard Square and in Boston

• FIP Leaders will take you shopping to some of these places this afternoon!

Roxanne

H

How to Take Advantage of Opening Days

• Most Important: “Calendar of Opening Days”.• Meet people, be open, make friends. Go to as

many events as possible!• Many student organizations will be having their

introductory meetings. Don’t miss them.• Try out different activities. Even the ones that seem

crazy.• Ask questions. Explore things before you are too

busy studying.• Talk to your Peer Advising Fellows and Proctors.

They are extremely helpful!

Elsa

And don’t forget to…

Questions that Americans may ask you and how to handle them

• - “So where do you come from?”- “Cyprus”- “Umm…is that in California?”- “Well, more like in Europe…the continent, you know?”– Don’t get offended. Some of us come from places that few

people know actually exist. And Americans come from small places that we don’t know about, too.

• - “What made you come to the US?” - Be honest; they are actually interested in what brought you here.

Nicolas

What to expect from your first few weeks here

• - “What’s your name? Where are you from?”• - “At Harvard? Or originally?”

• - “Both!”• - “Canaday, and London”

ADVICE • Get to know people, and be open-minded! The introductions may get tiring, but keep in mind that at no other time in College will you be able to randomly sit down next to strangers and get to know them without it seeming odd. Take advantage of this! • Be yourself! No need for re-invention.• Don’t underestimate the beginning-of-school workload, and make sure to balance your time.•Don’t forget to leave time for yourself to rest and have fun!

Udaibir

Dealing with homesickness• Skype, MSN, AIM. Talk to your relatives and

friends back home often.• Other international students will probably feel

the same. Support each other.• The international community at Harvard (aka

us) will often times make you feel like home. So stick around! ;)

• Living in the U.S. is a unique cultural experience. Take advantage of this opportunity.

Anton

Dorm life and living with roommates

• Get to know your roommates. Hang out with them.• Clear things up with your roommates from the beginning if there

is something that is bothering you.• A good relationship with your roommates is essential for a good

year.• Make decisions together. What to jointly buy? Where to put

stuff? How to arrange rooming?• Take care of the room together. Be considerate.• Meet people from your dorm. Take advantage of the study

breaks and proctor meetings.• Don’t hang out only with students from your country. America is

a diverse country and its people are too!

Nadim