Author Archives: mtsuweb

I’m Anusha, an international student from Vijayawada, India.

Since I was a small kid, going to school in the United States has been a dream of mine. I only chose to pursue my master’s degree in the United States for that reason. The opportunity to take classes from several academic disciplines before selecting a major or concentration also attracted me to the United States. I began exploring universities that offered the best opportunities for me as I reached the end of my undergraduate degree. There were so many options available, and the grad school application process was highly challenging. I learned about MTSU during my application process from my sister, who resided in Tennessee. The way she described it to me sparked my interest and convinced me to apply to MTSU at the last minute.

I still remember my first experience at MTSU, where I went to every department possible to learn about the opportunities provided to the students. In this process, I met different students in different departments, and they helped me explore the opportunities available on campus. The most surprising part was that the students I met in various departments were in the same classes I was taking. They were always there for me whenever I needed them. When I came to MTSU, I didn’t even know where I would end my career, but being at MTSU has helped me to choose the right path.

People at MTSU are cool; whether they are professors, advisors, or faculty members, everyone here tries their best to assist you in solving a problem rather than simply leaving it up to you. Even when they don’t have the answers, they can help you find someone who can help you with your needs. In my semester here, I was involved in many events where I could build connections with new people and learn from them. They give us many opportunities to advance academically and socially and enjoy college rather than simply ensuring that people graduate.

I am happy I chose MTSU because I would have missed out on some incredible people if I hadn’t. I still have three semesters left before I graduate, and I can’t wait to see all the memorable moments they bring me!

The new semester of 2021 kicked off with mixed feelings. I was happy we were back to in-person activities and connecting with old and new friends – one of my favorite things to do. The reality of my two years at Middle Tennessee State University coming to an end also got me emotional. Even though I had an idea of my ‘what next after school’, I still questioned if I really knew what I wanted.

How many decades are there in our lives to accomplish our goals?

Not too many but the sooner you start working towards your goal, the sooner you achieve them. I wish I could say 24 hours is enough. But you can make it enough. Structuring my day to be filled with personal development, fun activities and good sleep made it easier to achieve certain goals.

Am I on the right path?

Often, we feel so overwhelmed that we question our passion. Taking things one step at a time, prioritizing them and of course, speaking to people who had experienced what I was going through helped me a lot. The moment you start feeling those little butterflies in your belly from what you are doing with the end goal of impacting lives, there is no doubt that you are on the right path.

What next?

There are a lot of ‘what next’ because human needs are insatiable. As important as it is to know what next, I have come to realize that staying connected with the right people, taking one step at a time with a relaxed mind does the magic.

I believe these are some questions international students struggle with but do not exactly get a chance to talk about. If you are reading this and feel that way, I assure you that it is okay to feel confused but surely, talking to people who have been through this phase of their lives and the career development center of MTSU helps. I could figure out a lot of things by doing just that.

A couple of things that helped me tremendously these past two years:

• Go to unfamiliar places
• Try out new cuisines (this has been especially appealing to me because I love food)
• Do challenging things (I hope to summon the courage to skydive and walk on shaky bridges)
• Make new friends (This has become a hobby of mine now)
• Set priorities & complete tasks before their deadlines
• Internship & personal development
• Get involved in activities. At the end of the day, it is not just about the theoretical and practical knowledge gained from school, our interpersonal skills also matter.

It feels like two years went by so fast, but I am grateful to be part of a supportive community like MTSU which has made it easy for me to be optimistic about my future. I believe I came to MTSU for a reason. I matter, you matter, so does our purpose. It is important that we understand our purpose so we can impact lives. There is no doubt that I will be graduating this Fall 2021 a totally different person, compared to the time I started my program. I am thankful and I remain True Blue!!!

As I am writing this, I can still relate to the “pounding inside” that I felt when I decided to come to America. I can also feel the exhaustion of traveling from city to city to prepare the paper works, the excitement of receiving my visa and offer, and the sentiment when I saw the tearful face of my mother at the airport security gate.

I’ve been a comic fan since I was a kid. After the heavy pressure of schoolwork and various after-school classes, watching Justice League of America was the time I truly enjoyed. Although I didn’t understand the English dialogue back then, watching the Justice League superheroes save the city and its people from the villains was enough to make me yell with excitement. In retrospect, this is probably why I wanted to come to America in the very first place.

Growing up, apart from comics, American pop music and movies also had a profound impact on my worldview and outlook on life. However, my romantic fantasy about life in America were shattered when I arrived. Studying abroad means cross-cultural adjustment for students from different cultural backgrounds. Without the skyscrapers and busy streets I saw in American TV shows and the company of my family and friends in China, I soon felt a sense of loneliness and isolation that I had never experienced before. What made it even more painful for me was that I couldn’t understand my teachers, so I had to spend several times as much time preparing for my classes as my classmates. Even in a crowded library, I still have no one to talk to. The good thing is that my classmates and teachers are thoughtful, and their care and patience have made me feel that life is not completely dark. Gradually, I started to adapt to life here and started to make more friends. My life began to become more prosperous and more colorful. Now I can understand the teacher’s lectures as well as communicate fluently with people. I discovered more possibilities of myself, going to American elementary schools to speak about Chinese language and culture, giving presentations at academic conferences, interpreting for President McPhee… These experiences have forged the person I am today.

If I had to sum up what I have learned from living in the US over the years, I think it would be a sincere feeling of “it’s never too late” and the courage to start again. Today, I feel more encouraged to go to unfamiliar places again, do challenging things and approach people I don’t know well, because it was clear to me that I could do a lot of things on my own that I couldn’t seem to do. At the same time, I have become more respectful of other people’s ideas and have learned to embrace different ideas. Studying abroad may be like walk through a path full of thorns and roses, but as Saint-Exupéry wrote in Night Flight, “The work in progress was all that mattered.”

“I would like to say that I embarked on my journey here at MTSU before I stepped foot on campus. It all started my senior year of high school when I spoke to an International Recruiter from MTSU at a college fair in The Bahamas. It was at that moment I knew MTSU would be my school of choice. Currently, I am a junior majoring in Actuarial Science, with a minor in Data Science, and I am proud to be an International Student Ambassador.  Over the five semesters that I have been attending MTSU, there have been a lot of distinct features that continue to prove that MTSU was the correct choice for me. 

I love the staff and faculty at MTSU. From my experience, the international office has always been supportive. I always remember the story of when I changed my major to Actuarial Science. I decided that I wanted to make this change just two days before my flight to Tennessee. In particular, I remember emailing the international office expressing how I hoped this wouldn’t affect my acceptance. Immediately, I received an email highlighting that my acceptance into MTSU was much more than my choice of study, which reassured my choice. The staff of MTSU has also always been a delight for me. Sometimes I wish I could retake classes to have some of my old professors again.  

I love the countless number of activities, and organizations MTSU has to offer. I didn’t experience culture shock coming to MTSU, due to the United States’ influence on The Bahamas, but those who are in fear that they will, should not worry. MTSU offers a lot of opportunities that can help you bridge this cultural gap, and in turn, make new friends. I took advantage of this and joined clubs like Gamma Iota Sigma where I am the Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Student Society for International Education, Bahamian Student Organization, Lambda Sigma Honor Society, and many others. The International Office also promotes an event called Conversation Partners, which allows you to interact with other international students and as a bonus get free food. Through this, I was given the opportunity to be assigned to an American family, which was a great experience, and would be great for those who feel homesick or are scared to leave their family. 

I love the resources and the facilities MTSU has to offer. In particular, there are two that stand out to me. As a student whose major is rooted primarily in mathematics, English was never a subject that I particularly enjoyed. However, for those papers, the University Writing Center (UWC) was always a great resource to access. The UWC is a great resource offered to all students for any class and I suggest you visit it at least once. For someone like me who has always played every sport in high school, it was impressive to see MTSU’s Campus Recreation Center. There was a facility for every sport I love, a swimming pool which reminded me of my days swimming competitively, indoor basketball courts, and an indoor soccer court.  

My journey here at MTSU has not always been the easiest, but I don’t think I would have liked to attend anywhere else. MTSU has allowed Murfreesboro, TN to be a place I consider my second home and has given me much more than a college education. I am True Blue for life!” 

“I was born and raised in a city called Tianjin, located in northern China. I had never left my family for long until I went to college in a southern city called Ningbo. Two years later, one more step to the U.S., to MTSU. And I am glad I took that step.

It still comes to my mind now and then, the day I landed in this beautiful place, where there’s a deep blue sky and endless grass, everything is so natural and bright. On the day of orientation, after a warm welcome from the international office, my friends and I filled the application form for the First Friends program. That is how we met Amy and Ric, our supper kind “American parents.” Their companion and support helped us gradually adapted our life in a foreign country. I learned to say “goodbye” and “Have a good day,” communicate or make appointments for office hours by email, things that we do in separate ways in China. The school buses are convenient, and that is also where I made my first American friend. The Tuesday dinners offer a rare opportunity to engage with other international students and local families and practice our English. All these little shining spots make my time in MTSU so precious.

Besides classes, the instructors also email us about job opportunities and academic seminars. They really care about our success and generously offer their help to all the students. Even though we cannot meet in person this semester, high-quality materials were still able to be delivered by online tools and even better with the possibility of reviewing the recordings. Honestly, I was so worried when covid-19 first began, but MTSU gives me strength with the decisive actions of extending the spring break and starting remote delivery of the instruction. MTSU puts the safety of students and faculty first.

I wish I could stay a little longer at MTSU, but I am graduating this semester. MTSU embraces diversity and helps me understand my culture even better. I’m so glad that I came here and took MTSU as a part of my life.”

Hello everyone! My name is Gabrielle Thornton. I am a senior in the Tourism and Hospitality Management Program, and a new Global Ambassador with the Office of Education Abroad. Back in March of 2020, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Mendoza, Argentina on an MTSU Signature Program. Like all students who travel abroad for the first time, I wanted to make sure that I had something local to remember my experience by. My family and friends had also requested small things from Argentina—as compensation for how much I talked about my excitement for the trip before my departure date.

On the first night of being in Mendoza, we went out to explore the city a bit. There were several shops in the city that were meant for tourists. They had plenty of Mendoza and Vendimia merchandise and souvenirs that were inexpensive and “authentic.” I decided to wait to start my shopping, and I am so glad that I did. Within the next few days, one of the things that our group stumbled upon was a local artists’ open market at Plaza Independencia—one of the local parks in Mendoza. This open market was home to many talented Argentines who were dedicated to their crafts and were passionate about the people that they were able to meet through this market.

Some of the things that these artists specialized in included jewelry, pottery, leatherworking, clothing and blankets, paintings and drawings of famous sites throughout Mendoza, and handmade mate gourds—a significant part of the social culture in Argentina. The open market quickly became one of our favorite places to visit as visitors to Mendoza. Every night, there were new artists added to the market and we were able to make friends with some of the artists who were frequently set up on the nights that we visited.  

Although it was more expensive to buy items from the local artists, I believe that it is part of what made my experience abroad so successful. Plaza Independencia gave me the opportunity to connect with local individuals on a level that I would have never experienced had I just bought my items from a tourist shop and went on my way. I would never trade this experience for the world. Not only was it influential in my experience, I was able to support these talented artists directly and contribute to their local economy in a more meaningful way than if I had purchased the items at a retail location. This is one of the first things that I will tell someone who has decided to go abroad: don’t take the first and easiest opportunity to spend your money. Dig deeper into your experience and not only will you not regret it, you’ll be making a difference.

Photo L to R: Miranda Duncan, Carlee Reilly, Gabrielle Thornton, Josefina Sagui, Allison Hotard, Cassie Kennedy, Christine Travis, Gabriella Ortega at Josefina’s table at Plaza Independencia.

Studying abroad was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I enrolled in MTSU with this goal in mind from the start, and because I wanted to learn Japanese. Sometimes, when you build something up for so long it can turn out to not be what you expect. My experience surpassed what my expectations were; I had the time of my life. All my hard work truly did pay off, and I got to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Obviously, the work didn’t stop when I arrived, but any work that had to be done in Japan was worth it for me.

I went into the experience expecting to meet some cool people, some not so cool people, and enjoy traveling the country and seeing all of the sights that you can’t see back home. I know some people can think wherever they want to study is some sort of paradise or utopia, so I wanted to keep my expectations realistic. I did a lot of research into what it was like to really live there, not just study abroad. I investigated the good and more importantly the bad. Nowhere you live will ever be perfect, and that seems to be a source of culture shock that isn’t talked about as often. If you have the impression that everyone acts like this or the country is full of this and it isn’t, you can be in for quite the shock. I saw it firsthand from some people that didn’t seem to understand Japanese culture or the language. I’m not perfect myself, but I felt I had a slightly more than basic understanding of these things and it helped me tremendously. I would highly recommend googling to find out what are those things that people DON’T like about living in the country you want to study abroad in. Is there something that doesn’t fit with your personality that could be very hard to get past? Is there something that you couldn’t stand to have to do everyday that is normal in their culture? There will always be a community of people that don’t like living there that will make sure they let their opinion be heard about why X, Y, and Z sucks about living in that country. Now, don’t let this discourage you from doing what you want to do. I don’t want you to give up on traveling or studying in your favorite country; I want the opposite. Please go as an informed member of the world and experience something truly wonderful.

If you are going for a full exchange, or even just a semester, I would bet you have studied the language for at least a little while now. If you haven’t and even if you have, try and do some research into what words are commonly used and what aren’t. In Japanese class for example, some of the things we learn aren’t really used commonly and you can seem a little odd to people since they don’t realize you have been taught to use those words or that sentence structure before. You may even find there is a specific dialect in the place you want to study at, and you can learn some region-specific vocabulary and grammar. If you don’t do this it really isn’t a big deal, but locals always love it when someone is able to speak naturally just like them.

I encourage everyone to study abroad if it is feasible for them to do so. I also encourage everyone to do a lot of research before and after you make your decision so that you can be an informed traveler and member of the world. There’s a much bigger world out there than Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee, and I want everyone to enjoy their experience as much as I did.

“Happy International Students’ Day!

One year ago, I wrote and sponsored a Student Government Association resolution for Middle Tennessee State University to officially recognize November 17th as International Students’ Day. A day dedicated to celebrating, raising awareness, and promoting intercultural exchange between Americans and our international community.

The impetus for me lied in my many experiences meeting people across the country. I recognized that other students needed to be exposed to the myriad of opportunities MTSU has to offer.

There are hundreds of student organizations that cover a diverse range of interests to help you express yourself, get involved, and make a positive impact. I have travelled interstate with the MTSU Speech and Debate Team and seen places I would never have seen on my own. I also represented MTSU at the University of Chicago’s CHoMUN XXII with the Society for International Affairs in 2019. I vividly remember walking around downtown Chicago thinking of the stark contrast between the quaint colonial buildings in the Bahamas to the concrete maze of a major American city. Running around the city counting blocks to find a late-night deep-dish pizza restaurant was one of the many highlights during my time at MTSU.

From volunteering giving storm ravaged property owners tree saplings to protect their land, to hiking through state parks, and helping fundraise for UNICEF, I have had an incredible experience during my time here.

A large part of the International experience is about immersing yourself in another’s culture, seeking opportunities and making an impact for yourself and your home country. I admit, it may initially be daunting to start connecting and networking with others because foreign students often must spend some time grasping American culture and institutions. I am writing to encourage you because your personal and professional development will thank you for it.

As Executive Vice President of the Student Government, I am a representative of all our communities on campus. I hope I have encouraged you to take advantage of the infinite avenues to make a difference at whatever level you see fit. I would have never served on university committees, or written legislation, or run for elected office if I did not believe in the value MTSU provides for its students.

I challenge you to go and actively see out new people, places and experiences because great things never came from comfort zones. See you at the 2021 International Students’ Day celebrations!”

“Growing up in Mexico City, moving to the U.S. for my freshman year of High School, and being the first member of my family to attend a university in the U.S. is not easy, but I am very proud of it.

Finally, I know I have a lot more to experience and learn, but I am sure that being a Blue Raider will help me along the way.”