Helpful hints when home is far away
Getting used to KU requires waiting out jet lag, homesickness
By Aleksel Zhuravlev
Special sections reporter
New students at KU are looking for everything for the first time: libraries, departments, friends and help. That's especially true of international students. I was in their shoes not so long ago — in January of this year — and I had an experience that others can learn from.
Don't be scared if you still wake up at 4 a.m. and can't sleep for hours. You are
healthy but have a new neighbor — jet lag.
Once in the winter, I was scared nearly to death by jet lag. It seemed to me I'd overslept my Applied English Center test. I looked for Fraser Hall for several hours in the fog, from 8 a.m. to noon, or so I thought. My only mistake was the time difference
Aleksel
Zhuravilev
between Lawrence and St. Petersburg, Russia - nine hours.
I wish that either Columbus had discovered America somewhere closer to Russia or that our Russian ancestors had moved closer to the USA, knowing beforehand about the opportunity for Russian students to study at KU in the future!
Perhaps the most difficult thing is getting accustomed to living in dorms, especially for those who previously lived at home with parents. Now you'll share the room with another person who is likely to
be from another country and who does not speak your language. It is good because you have a real chance to speak English all the time.
By the way, an English-speaking roommate might help you pass the AEC test, as most of you whose first language is not English, I hope, did. If not, it is not the end of the world. I took two AEC classes and three
journalism classes last spring. I'm still alive. At the end of the semester you'll be OK.
Carolyn Kaltenbach, English as a Second Language graduate student, said it's important to speak English.
"The problem is that foreign students usually speak their native language in dorms, labs, cafeterias," she said. "The only place where they speak English is AEC classes."
But sometimes it's not as easy as it sounds.
"I use mostly Japanese speaking to my
friends from Japan," said Norihiko Tsuneishi, Kanegawa, Japan, sophomore. "I tried to speak English but felt very uncomfortable with that." he said.
Elizabeth Soppelsa, director of the Applied English Center, advises international students to practice English outside classrooms and talking to other students who speak English.
You should attend every lecture and be on time. Yes, it's hard sometimes if you live in dorms, for example, and don't have a bike or bus pass. But if you go, you'll see that lectures are fascinating and that professors and students are eager to help you all the time, except during finals and
"What am I doing here? I want to go home because I don't like KU, Lawrence, this dorm, food and my neighbor. I failed on the AEC test although I speak English fluently. I miss my mom and dad and need to call them right now!" This is homesickness.
Many of my friends and I felt pretty much the same during our first weeks here. But the first thing to do in the morning is to avoid calling Delta to purchase return tickets or calling home to complain.
all the time, except during finals and
The best thing you can do is unplug the phone. This small, magic box can bankrupt you because long-distance calls are really long in the first several weeks and very expensive.
But you'd better go and talk to someone. Don't hesitate to ask for help. I sat in my room trying to overcome these feelings on my own. It didn't help much. Write letters, send e-mail messages, at least do something!
I know from my own experience that homesickness is a thief that usually steals good grades because it's hard to care about lectures, tests and quizzes. The sooner you change your mind about that, the better. It's impossible to prepare for finals or midterms just before them.
other tests.
Everyone needs a break. If you like shopping, you can join others who go to Wal-Mart, usually on Sundays. This is, maybe, the most popular store among students.
That does not necessarily mean you should spend all your time studying.
Prefer jazz and blues? Perhaps you should go to Full
Or you can just walk around visiting bookstores, shops and parks. Robinson Center and University libraries also are open. Those who live in dorms can check out VCRs at the front desks. You have plenty of choices.
Moon Cafe at 803 Massachusetts St.
Lawrence is not Washington, New York or Chicago. Fortunately, Lawrence is Lawrence, and KU is KU. You'll understand it very soon, as I did.
Just don't hurry to purchase return tickets. And please, unplug the phone first thing in the morning!
Planet Lawrence
~Hill • September 13, 1995
2091* 1E7 * modemk2+HII
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