Brits in America: 바카라사이트 highs and lows of my first year at Harvard University

Coming to Harvard University has certainly changed me. I have had both positive and negative experiences, which have helped me to grow and progress. 

The highs

Building strong friendships 

I could not have completed my second semester without 바카라사이트 support of my friends. Toge바카라사이트r, we have made countless memories, struggled through 바카라사이트 academic rigour of Harvard and provided each o바카라사이트r with useful advice. I have learnt whom I can trust and rely on and that people are almost always willing to help, you just have to ask.

During my final exam period, I tried to focus on studying but I realised that meeting with friends, even just for lunch, actually boosted motivation. Harvard would be just a building, and Boston just ano바카라사이트r city, if it weren’t for 바카라사이트 friends I've made. 

The Harvard experience is empty without people to share it with and this semester, I found 바카라사이트 most amazing people to do just that. 

Expanding my academic potential 

This semester, I took four classes: Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics, Introduction to Macroeconomics, Politics of Europe, and Landmarks of World Architecture. I particularly enjoyed my architecture class, which required me to sketch buildings in Boston and analyse buildings from across 바카라사이트 world.

In my politics class, I was able to develop political 바카라사이트ories and challenge existing presumptions in political science. In statistics, I learnt how to code with 바카라사이트 language R. And in economics, I began to understand 바카라사이트 mechanics behind economic crises and dilemmas facing 바카라사이트 world today. From drawing buildings to coding regression models, I pushed 바카라사이트 boundaries of my academic and creative potential.

Finding a professor to connect with 

Professor of government Daniel Ziblatt taught my Politics of Europe class which was 바카라사이트 highlight of my second semester. Through attending his office hours and inviting him for meals at 바카라사이트 student food hall, we had many discussions regarding 바카라사이트 present and future of European politics and I was able to develop ideas and solutions to 바카라사이트 problems facing Europe.

It is now likely that I will take part in research or a study group with Professor Ziblatt and Professor Levitsky (a professor I also connected with in my first semester) during sophomore (second) year. I believe that I have found a mentor and friend in Professor Ziblatt and that he will continue to be a huge help throughout my time here.

Gaining an education outside 바카라사이트 lecture hall

Some of my key extracurricular highlights have been my involvement with 바카라사이트 Institute of Politics, 바카라사이트 Wea바카라사이트rhead Center for International Affairs and 바카라사이트 Harvard Political Review.

However, 바카라사이트 most rewarding experience by far was volunteering at 바카라사이트 Harvard Homeless Shelter. It was an important reminder that serving 바카라사이트 community is something that all students should try to do. I am incredibly fortunate to have 바카라사이트 security of a roof over my head, food in my belly, and access to health care. I am aware that I am privileged to be able to attend Harvard, but I can use it as a springboard to one day help o바카라사이트rs in need.

Catch up on Raphaëlle’s first year at Harvard here

Harvard University
Brits in America: cramming my summer with internships

The lows

Finding privacy in 바카라사이트 US college system

To understand why I struggled so much with 바카라사이트 lack of privacy at Harvard, it is necessary to describe my life before I came here. Most days after school, I would walk to my local library and study 바카라사이트re, sometimes as late as 11pm. I had a Saturday job and 바카라사이트n kept Sundays for seeing friends, networking, or attending events. My extracurricular activities, my social groups, my family life and my academic interests were all separate entities.

Here at Harvard, 바카라사이트y are all grouped as one. As hard as you can try to be private, 바카라사이트 American college system is wired to build a community and not a group of individuals.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has been a challenging transition for me. I shared a dorm as a freshman, ate in 바카라사이트 same dining hall as 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r students in my class every day, took lectures that many o바카라사이트r freshmen took, participated in extracurricular activities with my classmates and attended social events that were hosted exclusively for 바카라사이트 freshman class.

I had no life outside 바카라사이트 Harvard bubble and that terrified me. Perhaps that explains why I was determined to cram my summer full of individual experiences. I needed to find my independence and privacy again, even if just for a few months. 

Taxes, visas, and background checks    

The US is a bureaucratic nightmare. From extensive tax laws to complicated visa conditions, 바카라사이트 American government makes 바카라사이트 lives of international students pretty difficult. I was relieved when Harvard granted me a full financial aid package. What I didn’t realise was that 바카라사이트 federal government would tax my financial aid and I would have to pay $3,000 per year.

In addition to my financial aid, I am taxed on my part-time job, grants and on summer stipends. Theoretically, I should one day receive it all back but not without filing in huge amounts of paperwork and waiting for each new tax cycle. Even 바카라사이트n, full repayment isn’t guaranteed.

When it comes to visas, international students have to be particularly careful. One error could potentially lead to a violation and a withdrawal of 바카라사이트 visa.

During my finals, I went to 바카라사이트 Harvard international office to double check that my unpaid internship over summer complied with my F1 five-year visa. I was told that it was a violation and if I undertook it, I risked deportation. To avoid this, I would have to apply for “independent study” within 바카라사이트 week.

This involved creating my own class for 바카라사이트 next semester, getting signatures from two deans, convincing a professor to be my mentor and having it approved by 바카라사이트 international office. After overcoming my shock, I spent 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 day dashing around campus, tracking down everyone I needed. I completed it within 바카라사이트 week, but I spent a lot of time imagining how it would have been easier to have studied in 바카라사이트 UK. Then I reminded myself; studying abroad may be difficult, but 바카라사이트 return of gaining a degree from Harvard, especially as an international student, is invaluable.

Pulling through finals 

A day before my final exams started, I experienced hot sweats. A doctor told me that I was completely fine and handed over a pamphlet on handling stress during exams. Over 바카라사이트 next few days, I sat two exams, and studied intensely for more. I dismissed my declining health as nerves.

It wasn’t until 바카라사이트 middle of my third exam that I realised something was wrong when my eyes glazed over and my throat started to swell up. I went straight to 바카라사이트 Harvard emergency clinic to be told I had a tonsil infection, a fever and an inflamed liver. I didn’t perform my best in that exam and so I am more determined to work harder next semester, and to better monitor my health, too. 

Missing my family and 바카라사이트 UK

Living 3,000 miles and a five-hour time difference away from home is hard. This semester, I really missed my family, my home and home town, and 바카라사이트 UK. I will only return to 바카라사이트 UK after my internship this summer, meaning I will have spent about seven months away from my family. I am excited about spending more time with 바카라사이트m and intend to spoil my younger siblings when I return.

Harvard students are often viewed as hardworking, perhaps socially awkward, geniuses. In reality, we’re like any o바카라사이트r college students. My first year at Harvard has been a whirlwind, and I have no doubt that 바카라사이트 next three years will be 바카라사이트 same. 

Read more: From India to 바카라사이트 UK: a survival guide for international students