May 11, 2006 08:07 PM
12180 Views
(Updated May 12, 2006 05:57 AM)
Hmmmmmmm!!!!!!I am sitting here for so long, trying to come up with something interesting to put down for the introduction to this topic, and after almost fifteen minutes I have nothing. So ladies and gentlemen, you will unfortunately have to take the above line as the formal introduction!!!!!! (I cannot be blamed for the lack of interesting stuff to put down either!! Come on we are talking about education here….and we all know precisely how boring that can be!!! Just ask the drool mark you left on your desk at school)
So you have somehow managed to get out of 4 years of college!!! Congratulations, what is commendable is the fact, that not only you survived the 4 years, but also have managed somehow to maintain a quest for knowledge. So for your sole benefit, let me be the light that shows you how it really is!!! (I am going to talk only about the US, mainly because, most people do come here, and I studied here!!!)
Let’s skip the Visa process, shall we! I have no idea how that goes, so wont babble on that. Let’s just start with the day you land into the country. Most probably you have established contact with some Student associations (Like the ISA-Indian Students Association), which every university has, and also with the International students’ office. These two organizations usually take the responsibility to pick up new students, the former more so than the latter.
You will be picked up and usually and dropped off at someone’s place. That person will usually let you stay for a week and will be a huge resource, in terms of information. They can direct you to apartments you can look at, people you can stay with, places your can buy clothing from etc etc.
Reality check!!!! YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!!!!! Yes that is true, and the truth can sometimes be hard. Please do not expect to be shown around the place, no one will do that, they will tell you where you need to go and how to get there, occasionally people will actually take you around your campus and help you settle in. But remember it is rare because everyone usually has their day full, with not only school (Universities are referred to as schools!!) but also work.
That brings me to my next main point. GET OUT THERE!!! Believe me, life is so much better with an assistantship, the degrees of funds vary, but something is better than nothing at all. For example, some schools will give you a tuition waiver, and stipend which takes care of everything, plus some spending money, and some school will give you a partial waiver and no stipend, find out what your school has to offer!!!!!
Talk to your department head, talk to the professors, and don’t be afraid to talk to the students around you to see where the assistantships are available. See if any out going students will help you fill in their position. Go to other departments. (hey I taught BIOLOGY when I am really was getting both my Master’s in Business!!!!). One piece of advice, please be persistent, and have a ton of patience, because the process of finding an assistantship is both physically and mentally exhausting, but totally worth it. oh yeah, Dont be afraid to talk to people, the more people know that you are looking for an assistantship, the more likely you will get one!!!
Life is much harder, as a student. There are many reasons for it. You not only have to study full time, but you also have to work, to be able to support yourself, this is basically what everyone does though, so you will have a lot of people around you who are in the same situation, and that means you will have a huge support group.
Studying itself is tougher. Here professor’s do not spoon feed you. You are expected to read before class, and join in the discussions about the topic. Class sizes are usually no more than 30 (specially for Master’s), and therefore the teacher will notice if you sit there like DEAD MEAT. There are a lot of assignments and papers that need to be done, and each professor will pile work on you, regardless of what the others have given, so brace yourself to work long and hard for at least 2 years.
But it’s not as gloomy as it may seem to be. The education system is a lot more informal here in the US and the professors are friendlier and more open to talking with you, and sometimes even socializing with you. People around are more receptive in school, and the education itself centers around discussions and various other methods, which not only give to practical knowledge, but allow you to enjoy the journey there.
Usually you have a majority of the weekends to yourself, you are able to go out, and spend your time as you like. There are tons of places you can go and have fun. The schools also tend to have some kind of weekend events planned, that are geared towards students. (These events are easier on your wallets too!!! And that is always good news).
I went through 2 accelerated Master’s, worked part time, and still had time to party hard (In fact every weekend !!!!! hehehehe) I had tons of fun and Would recommend it to anyone who thinks of doing so themselves.
So get out and go study, believe me, it a huge step, full of ups and downs, but oh so much fun. And most importantly, ALWAYS WORTH IT!!!
HEY..since this was on education...use urs and leave me a comment....!!! LOLZ
