Notes
chemicals and cellsIt’s that time of year again. The freshmen ‘imports’ arrived at Yale on Sunday. It says as much on the blue tee shirts that can be seen all over campus, worn by the incoming international class of 2018.
The international students have arrived a week earlier than their American peers, as a part of OIS (Orientation for International Students), a Yale program designed to make the transition into American culture as easy as possible. The program is certainly a necessity, as last year, non-American scholars made up 18% of Yale’s student body, according to a 2014 census by Yale’s Office of Institutional Research. Now, some of those students are helping the new ones settle into the campus and learn about the surroundings. Devansh Tandon, a rising sophomore, is an OIS councilor this year. The councilors take students on tours, talk to them about their academic choices, and even set up scavenger hunts for them all over campus. “In the evenings we do icebreakers,” says Tandon, “To help build a sense of an international community here.” He says he’s glad he can help, as he knows how many of the new students feel. “I was very nervous when I first came, as I’m sure they are too. There’s this idea that American students have a head start, and I think OIS definitely helps international students to catch up, and settle into and adopt the culture.”
Tandon is right in saying that many students are nervous when they first arrive. Yondeen Sherpa, from Kathmandu, says she feels a bit overwhelmed by everything. “For me, and a lot of other people I think, the American way of life is very different than we are used to.” Yondeen isn’t alone in her culture shock. For Andre Melo, an incoming freshman, the food and weather will be hard to get used to. “The weather is more dry here. It’s humid in Brazil, and I’m really concerned about the winter here; I’ve heard it’s very hard.” A student from Singapore, who wished to remain anonymous, is nervous for slightly
The international students have arrived a week earlier than their American peers, as a part of OIS (Orientation for International Students), a Yale program designed to make the transition into American culture as easy as possible. The program is certainly a necessity, as last year, non-American scholars made up 18% of Yale’s student body, according to a 2014 census by Yale’s Office of Institutional Research. Now, some of those students are helping the new ones settle into the campus and learn about the surroundings. Devansh Tandon, a rising sophomore, is an OIS councilor this year. The councilors take students on tours, talk to them about their academic choices, and even set up scavenger hunts for them all over campus. “In the evenings we do icebreakers,” says Tandon, “To help build a sense of an international community here.” He says he’s glad he can help, as he knows how many of the new students feel. “I was very nervous when I first came, as I’m sure they are too. There’s this idea that American students have a head start, and I think OIS definitely helps international students to catch up, and settle into and adopt the culture.”
Tandon is right in saying that many students are nervous when they first arrive. Yondeen Sherpa, from Kathmandu, says she feels a bit overwhelmed by everything. “For me, and a lot of other people I think, the American way of life is very different than we are used to.” Yondeen isn’t alone in her culture shock. For Andre Melo, an incoming freshman, the food and weather will be hard to get used to. “The weather is more dry here. It’s humid in Brazil, and I’m really concerned about the winter here; I’ve heard it’s very hard.” A student from Singapore, who wished to remain anonymous, is nervous for slightly