Two months ago, I traveled 21 hours taking two flights across the Pacific Ocean to get to Boston. From the first day of Orientation for International Students, I won the “Who traveled the furthest to get here!” title and realized I was the only one at HGSE from New Zealand.
I can safely say that these first few months will be your most challenging. Moving so far away from home, saying goodbye to childhood friends, navigating the start of your new journey in a foreign place, on top of stepping into the big wide world of Harvard and all the amazing people within it can all seem utterly overwhelming!
But I can assure you that from the moment you arrive, you will grow and only keep growing. You will look forward with no time to look back, you will let go of your fears and you will be proud of the person you are about to become- even if you don’t quite know it yet.
The best thing about Harvard isn’t the beautifully historic campus, or the numerous amounts of courses we can choose to study, nor is it the free food that we can dish out sometimes around campus (surprisingly!). What makes this place so incredible are all the people immersed within it. Everybody I have been surrounded by so far have been nothing but welcoming and supportive. From the staff at the admissions offices, to those at the international offices, library security guards, our professors and of course the other students, we are all just a helping hand. My biggest advice is to get to know people and learn to appreciate them. Years down the line, you will remember the memories and experiences made with others and not the 5 hours you spent studying. After all, the connections you make are going to be the most invaluable takeaway from your time here at HGSE (apart from a degree- that helps too).
Orientation week will feel like a marathon. But slow and steady wins the race, right? (So she said). My lovely friend Belicia used the perfect analogy to describe this event. Orientation week will look like a tangled-up necklace (ladies, I know you all know what this looks like). It looks complicated and messy, but once you are in the grove of untangling, everything will seamlessly work out in the end- so well said, no wonder she’s at Harvard. Basically, use this week to start new friendships, take your time in choosing the right courses for you (that’s what course shopping is for) and honestly, just have fun and enjoy the chaos.
The start of the semester will fly by and before you know it, it’ll be the end of week 5. On top of endless (hundreds of pages) readings, working on countless assignments at once, and studying every now and then to stop yourself from drowning in course work, there are actually a huge array of outside activities to do all organized by the University! Over the previous month, I have taken a boat cruise down Charles River, attended a Red Sox baseball game, watched a Harvard College Football game, went apple picking, and in the next two weeks we will be heading to Salem for Halloween alongside an outlet shopping trip to gear up for winter. Candle-making, outdoor movie nights and thanksgiving dinners are also just around the corner! Amongst being a nerd (which I most definitely am at times!), don’t forget to let yourself relax and have a life! Your body will thank you.
And now, two months down the track you will finally be able to take a breath and appreciate just how far you’ve come. You will tell yourself that you’ve made it, and that you are amongst some of the most talented and incredible people in your field. You will be proud of the 14,000 km you flew, the second home you have adopted, and be forever grateful for the amazing people who are now a part of your life. You will thank yourself for not giving up and for working your hardest to be here. You have persevered past people who once thought you couldn’t make it. Pat yourself on the back, count your blessings, and take it all in. You deserve it.
P.S. Also, don’t forget to sleep. Sleep is important.
Blog written by Debbie Kwan. Photo provided by Debbie Kwan.
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