First Year-in Review
I believe that every year that I had gone through gives me extraordinary change, especially this year. The academic year of 2016 – 2017 witnessed my first time going to university, living in America where foreign language is spoken, and being far away from home for four months long. Though thinking that the combination of those firsts would be even tougher, my first year in University of Cincinnati in USA was actually exciting and fruitful. I would like to detail my first year in the following slides (click on next slide).
Adaption
What? So what?
Language and culture shock is absolutely the first challenge. Even though I had already been fluent in English, it still took me a while to be able to communicate as a native speaker due to the ignorance of certain vocabulary or conventions in American language and culture. For example, the staff in sales business’s front line are mostly called “cashier”, but in banks they are called “tellers.” Another example is that customers are supposed to go to a staff in the clothes store for a fitting room, and are probably asked about the items to try. The staff can also help the customers to hold the clothes that they do not want to buy anymore. Yet in my home country, going to fitting room and putting away clothes are both self-service.
In response of this difference from my old “common sense”, and to avoid embarrassment of making bad choices, I had developed my ability to observe and quickly learn, and I found myself benefiting from this method a lot. In fact, I could tell that I am able to learn at least one word every day.
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Now what?
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Evolution theory claims that even one favorable feature could help an organism or species to adapt the environment and eventually win the natural selection. I would like to say, this feature of mine is the adept ability of observation and quick learning. For my second year and probably future years at UC, I believe that if I utilize and hone this ability further in academic study, my proficiency in learning would be maximized.
Education
What? So what?
It is not arguable that I, as a Chinese student, do have a better understanding of basic math and science at the first year of college, since I have accumulated a lot of experience in those from middle school and high school. I believe this wide scope of experience ranging from math, biology, chemistry and physics will offer me more inspirations in the later engineering study, for the fact that engineering is the combination of sciences.
However, looking back to my major specifically, I am actually short of a significant amount of knowledge that I am supposed to have as an electrical engineer. Programming, as an example, is the field that I know nothing about before the first semester. Theoretical circuit analysis is my strength, yet this gives me little advantage because operational circuit and coding have been crucial in current electrical technology. Therefore, I began to boost myself into program learning by reading textbooks, working on self-designed projects as well as making friends with people in the same major and computer engineering major. The methods were efficient. Finishing a C++ project by myself is not a worry anymore.
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Now what?
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There was a time I asked a senior electrical engineering student what is the most important advantage as an electrical engineer, and he answered GPA and the ability to code. Consequently, in the second year at UC, my effort will be onto these two elements. There may be very few situations where I can use my past knowledge, for later in the second year the classes will be major specific and new to me, so I must study harder. I will also maintain extra effort on learning programming. That will give me a better understanding in operational circuit too.
Connections
What? So what?
Before entering in America, I was determined to try going beyond my comfort zone, and especially not to tag along with Chinese people, in order to adapt American culture as soon as possible. It was difficult at first, and sometimes awkward since I did not understand their jokes or “memes,” and I made unexpected reactions due to misunderstanding, yet the more I tried, the more I was able to express myself and follow their conversations. Eventually in the second semester, five other classmates and I became a group who often studied together, had food together and hanged out together on weekends. Now I have to say, apart from my roommate, my closest friends are all Americans.
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Now what?
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Regarding all the connections and friends that I have made, I feel very grateful to the Learning Community that I participated in and also my peer leader, whose younger brother is actually my best friend, so that I could learn from smarter people and achieve self-improvement. Yet speaking of self-improvement, there is no better people than older engineering students, who have been through my stage and has the best advice for me. So my future plan in respect of connection is to build more connections with older students. Student organizations are one of the best resources, and I will start from joining some.
Ambitions
What? So what?
My interest in artificial intelligence and reverse-engineering-the-brain made me choose electrical engineering. For the first year of college study, I have confirmed that this is a right path for me. I felt lucky to know about the ACCEND Program, which could help me to achieve my passion full-heartedly. However, it is indeed difficult to have a clear vision of the future as an international student, who has to consider such factors as family (not able to go home for more than three months), academics (whether to pursue master or doctor degree), employment (possibility to obtain a job offer after graduation) and immigration policy (limited time to work as a student).
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Now what?
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Aware of the fact that these factors are unavoidable, I decided to put my passion away for now and cope with other obstacles. For now as a mere second year undergraduate, I will keep my interest activated, but meanwhile care about upcoming issues first, for example, finding a coop or becoming active in student organizations. Struggling for everything is inevitable as an international student, so my dream for now is to maintain a good grit and keep improving myself in every aspect.
Emotional Development
What? So what?
Though I admitted introvert might be my personality, I found myself more friendly and open to others since I came into USA. Due to the conventions in China, I used to never say hello to people that I meet in the street, but it becomes a very normal thing here. At first I just responded as a respect, but later I became willing to say good morning to every person that I see. Additionally, sharing my feelings and stories to others used to be a rare thing, but now I can do that even with a stranger that I meet in the shuttle.
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Now what?
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Now that I know that is a good feature in American culture, I want other students know about it too. At some time when I have a chance to meet with freshman coming from China, I want them to know that American people do not hold racial discrimination, but instead, they might be kinder than Chinese people in some way.
Feelings About Myself
What? So what?
Gateway to Honors impressed me most of the topic on strengths. It was the first time that I was told about my strengths by other people thoroughly. My top five strengths are learner, futuristic, individualism, focus and intellection.
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Now what?
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Utilizing these strengths are my next step. I believe that the five elements can help me to achieve my goal in the fastest way. I also believe that I can further define my passion and my role in the community with the guidance of these five words.