The International Student Experience at the University of Michigan
Finding a home away from home
—By Aanya Rampuria
For most, the transition from high school to college is not an easy one. Throw in being in a different country, being immersed in a different culture, and being miles from home, and starting college can seem more daunting than exciting. These experiences are the norm for international students and resemble only a small portion of the struggles that they face.
Pursuing an education abroad
Overall, international students in Ann Arbor are pleased with their decision to attend the University of Michigan. The Ann Arbor campus alone hosts 7,000 international students from over 120 countries, comprising 8% of the student population. This number only represents full-time college students and does not consider the hundreds of study-abroad students that enroll in Michigan for a semester or, in some cases, a whole year.
What about the University of Michigan, specifically, draws international students to the school? Speaking to members of the international student community in Ann Arbor, it is apparent that the high level of education and the opportunities are strong factors. Anya Talukdar, a University of Michigan alum from Singapore, was initially drawn to America because she “had no idea what [she] wanted to study.” Unlike in Singapore, the American college system offers its students a lot of flexibility. Talukdar states that “going to school in the US allowed me to go into college with an undecided major and explore different educational paths that best suited me.”
Additionally, Talukdar stresses that she really appreciated the “well-rounded college experience” Michigan provided. Attending an academically rigorous and focused high school, she was looking for a college that had “great academics while also having great sports teams that I could support.” In Singapore, Talukdar admits that school spirit “doesn’t really exist.” She said that when speaking to other Michigan students and alumni, they all told her “there is no better school than Michigan,” and this showed her first-hand how deep-rooted school spirit is at this school.
Many international students admit that although the initial move to Michigan was more difficult than they had anticipated, they tend to agree that those preliminary obstacles were, as Sana Karnik, a senior from Qatar, describes, “100% worth it.” Generally, it seems that international students have embraced the Midwestern charms and traditions that exist in Ann Arbor. From American football games to the craze of Halloween and even trips to cider mills, international students love and appreciate what Nadya Habib, a sophomore from Pakistan, refers to as “quintessentially American traditions.”
The distance from home
Matt Killorin, in his Shorelight article, describes homesickness as a “significant part of culture shock in the US for international students.” He adds that being “far away from friends, family, and familiar environments for the first time may be emotionally draining.”
Many international students relate to Killorin’s statement. Just like for any college student, some days are harder than others. For international students, these hard days are made more challenging through seemingly trivial things like time differences and the inability to travel home for long periods of time. Natasha Khurseed, a study abroad student from London, spoke of how distance from her family has been the hardest part of her transition. Attending a university in London that is close to her family home, she grew accustomed to being a quick train ride away. Khurseed noted,“I now have to take the time difference into account when calling my parents, and this sometimes means there are several days where we just keep missing each other.”
Even exciting traditions like parents’ weekends can be difficult for international students. Karnik stated,“I love meeting my friends’ parents but these weekends also remind me of how much I miss my own family.” Seeing how easily her friends can go home makes Karnik miss home even more. Having to wait until December or May to go back makes her feel “really low sometimes.” Karnik also highlights that with Michigan’s holidays being so short in December, her time at home can feel rushed. Said Karnik, “I’m always so grateful I get to go home in December, but two weeks is simply not enough. Especially when we lose days traveling back and forth.”
Cultural differences
Alannis Vázquez Algarín, a senior from Puerto Rico, lamented that in her first few months of college, she “had friends” but “sometimes felt that I didn’t fit in with cultural differences.” Algarín’s experience perfectly encapsulates another difficulty that many international students need to overcome: the inherent cultural differences between American culture and the culture of their home countries. Many, such as Talukdar, grew up in culturally diverse environments.
“Singapore is often described as a cultural melting pot,” said Talukdar, “and this is so true. I went to school with people from all over the world, and with this came a great understanding of how diverse and interesting other cultures can be. This is something that I felt Americans could not always comprehend.”
In fact, this lack of understanding has led to some uncomfortable conversations. Habib recounted many experiences in which “people often mispronounce my name, but even after correcting them, they do not say my name currently” and “so many instances where people just forget my name in general, and I have to remind them five or six times,” which she finds “absurd and rude.” Once, somebody asked her “if there is electricity in Pakistan,” and whether she had “ever eaten a cheeseburger.” These, for Habib, were extremely “frustrating” conversations because they showed “extreme ignorance and were borderline mocking.”
Despite these difficulties, many international students have found students who embrace their culture rather than mock them. Algarín shared that “some of my friends are very open to learning about my Puerto Rican culture and try to introduce me to American traditions to ensure I don’t feel left out.” One of Talukdar’s favorite memories from her time at Michigan was during Diwali, where her and her American friends “ordered Indian food, lit candles and learnt more about the significance of the Hindu festival.” She felt comfortable and was not as sad about being far away from her family during this time.
Michigan International Students Society (MISS)
There is a general consensus amongst the international students at Michigan that one of the things that helped them during their transition to college in America was finding other students who knew what they were going through. The Michigan International Students Society (MISS) has been a space where international students can meet. The organization was founded in 2012 and current members represent 40 different countries.
MISS hosts a plethora of events in an effort to educate members of the cultures of their peers. During their weekly meetings, members often present their home country, enlightening other members about what their life was like prior to coming to America. One of most popular events is the “Cookers and Eaters” event, where members from the same country group together to make their “local” food for other members. In November 2022 alone, MISS hosted a Brazilian Cookers and Eaters, and a Greek Cookers and Eaters.
Algarín, is a member of MISS’s executive board. When she was introduced to the group in her freshman year, it quickly became a “pillar of support” that she needed. When asked about her aspirations for MISS, she stated that she “hope[s] MISS serves as a home for those far away from home,” helping students acclimate to America in the same way that it did for her. Karnik, who also joined her freshman year, claims that joining MISS “was the best decision” she has made. She added: “I found people who grew up like me, or with the same mindset and personality as me.” This is something that Khurseed agrees with, admitting that she tends to “gravitate more toward other international students” because “being in similar circumstances gives me a sense of immediate closeness that I find harder to establish with American students.”
Karnik commends MISS because though people are from all over the world and have their own culturally rich backgrounds, “everyone in MISS shares a desire to learn about cultures other than their own.” This is something Algarín also appreciates about the organization. She wants MISS to be “a way for international students to connect with not only people from their country, but people from all over the world. I want everyone to learn about everyone else’s cultures and find connections and bonds within the club.” This openness to learning is what has enabled her to make close bonds with other international students and even with American students.
Delphine N. Banjong and Myrna R. Olson, in their article “Issues and Trends of International Students in the United States,” describe the ways that international students’ presence in a host country is mutually beneficial: “Through mutual social interaction between Americans and international students, U.S. students are exposed to foreign culture and foreign students likewise learn western U.S. culture.” Such interactions ultimately lead to a “a mix of multiple cultures or the enhancement of cultural diversity.”
There have been many MISS events that members’ non-international friends attend too. US-born Senior Kelly Cardillo, who has attended several MISS tailgates and events with her roommate from Singapore, talked of how having an international roommate has “opened me up to a whole host of different experiences and perspectives.” She said that “my international roommate has served as a gateway for me to meet people from all these different countries, which I wouldn’t have been able to if I didn’t make an effort to interact with my roommate and her friends.” In doing so, she has been able to learn so much more, intriguing her to travel and to continue to learn more about different cultures.
One major change that Cardillo has experienced by attending MISS events is that she has “grown more comfortable asking people about other cultures and where they come from.” Previously, she was “so much more hesitant and worried to ask questions” but realizes now that these prevent any strong relationships from forming. Through interacting with MISS members, Cardillo now realizes that “international students enjoy talking about where they’re from, just as much as Americans do.” In doing so, she feels she is “able to build real friendships with people from all over the world,” and she is able “learn so much in the process!”
How can the University of Michigan help international students?
The international student community feels that the University currently does a lot to help them transition as easily as they can. That being said, there are definitely areas for improvement to make the change in environment and culture less shocking for these students.
Understanding other cultures
Ayse Begum Aydinol, in her article,“Understanding the International Student Experience,” states that “International students are a part of both the academic and social community in the country where they live and study; however, the larger academic community may not adequately understand them, which could lead to feelings of alienation.” This is further supported in Talat Qadeer’s research article, “The Experience of International Students and Institutional Recommendations.” Qadeer finds that “international students have often been stereotyped based on assumptions about their culture, linguistic backgrounds, and other differences.”
Habib’s experiences are compelling examples of how a lack of initiative to properly understand other cultures can lead international students to be frustrated with their American peers. This thus makes it harder for them to adjust in a new environment. Often, this encourages international students to stay within their community, where they find comfort in knowing they will not be mocked. However, this hinders their overall experience in America—they are ultimately staying in their comfort zone. This is why Habib suggests that the University of Michigan “should introduce more mandatory courses that educate students about things like microaggressions, and what not to ask people from other countries or religions.”
Mental health
It is clear that one of the hardest parts of the transition to college for international students stems from being so far from home. In his work, “Enhancing the Quality of the International Student Experience,” Brad Farnsworth states that as “institutions work through [the] sensitive and complicated issue [of mental health], they should consider the special needs of international students, whose self-reported emotional and stress-related problems have been increasing over time.” As Farnsworth asserts, they are navigating academic pressures coupled with “language barriers, culture shock, homesickness, financial pressures, and newfound personal independence.”
When dealing with the issue of mental health amongst international students, Fansworth stresses that institutions must be extra careful. This is because these students “may come from countries with vastly different norms when it comes to mental health.” This, he stresses, can hinder students from seeking help and asking for guidance that they need. He suggests that schools like Michigan provide some guidance, both academic and career-based. Farnsworth highlights the successes of mentoring initiatives like the Columbia Mentoring Initiative. This initiative connects freshmen with upperclassmen and alumni who offer students advice on areas like academic skills, emotional health, and leadership.
Such initiatives could be significantly influential for domestic and international students alike, and is definitely something that the University of Michigan can look at developing and strengthening.
Orientation
Many universities, including the University of Michigan, host a special orientation for international students. According to the Michigan International Centre website, this orientation covers topics such as immigration and health care. While these topics are important, the separation from American students can actually impede international students’ transition to their new environment. In fact, Karnik wishes that Michigan did this slightly differently. She “understand[s]” the reason for the separate orientations, but she felt like she was “unable to make friends who were from the US,” which “made me feel like an outcast, as a lot of students find their initial friends in college during orientation.” As a result, she suggests altering the orientation process so that international students could attend both the international and American orientations.
A positive experience
Overall, the international student experience at the University of Michigan is great. This is why so many of these students consistently suggest this university to friends back home. It is a great place for students to further their academic endeavors while also being able to immerse themselves in classic American traditions, such as football. However, the extra struggles that international students deal with can go unnoticed and institutions need to address these more directly to help their students acclimate with more ease.
The University of Michigan eventually becomes a home away from home for its international students, and members of this community are thankful for the experiences and opportunities that they gain access to by coming to Ann Arbor. By implementing these changes, the positive experience of international students will only be elevated.
Feature photo by Oleh Aleinyk on Unsplash