5 Skills You Should Have as a US International Student

Hey fam, so these are some things that will make your life easier when you start college in the US as an F1 student. Some of them are non-negotiable and some are things you can possibly dance around. Let me know what you think below and for those already living here in the States please add more skills that you found helpful below.

1. English Language: There is no escaping this one, that’s why it's number 1. In fact, before most, if not all schools in the US accept international students, they need to pass a standardized English literacy test, like TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). So, make sure you have your basics down. As an additional tip on this, try to familiarize yourself specifically with American English as opposed to British English, this would help you transition smoothly here. So, watch American movies, try reading books by American authors, etc.

2. Computer Literacy: You don’t need to suddenly become a coder, but you do have to become semi-comfortable, at least, with the computer. Be able to check your emails, download software/apps needed in your classes. You would definitely improve on your skills here because almost everything concerning your classes would be available online, which would require a computer. Things like your typing speed would most likely increase after taking your English classes that require lots and lots of typing.

3. Cooking: No matter how much you have in that bank account, eating burgers, pasta, etc every day in restaurants can get pricey and extremely unhealthy. Even if your school has a dining hall and you have a meal pass for it, there will be days you would rather stay home or days when you don’t want to eat what they are serving. So, be you male or female, please learn how to make the things you love to eat. Don’t fret if you are already here in the US and forgot to learn from home, there’s always YouTube. It has saved me countless times. I honestly used to be below average and now I feel more confident when people try my food. So, don’t be discouraged and feel overwhelmed, we’ve been there. You can do it. It’s part of adulting.

4. Hair Grooming: Salons and Barbers get extremely expensive here. If you are that college student who is serious about saving, you could either rock your savage-looking hair on campus, lol good luck with that, or learn how to make your hair presentable. Nothing too fancy, but I’m a firm believer in the positive benefits of looking good. People make snap judgements in a second, especially when you start interviewing for internships and jobs.

5. Driving: So, this depends on where your school is in the US. If your school is in the Northeast region (States like New York are in this region) , then you don’t have to worry too much about driving. If you want to know more about states with more affordable transportation systems, drop a comment below. States in that region have cheaper options for transportation like trains. The majority of other states don’t have such luxuries, so driving becomes essential, especially if you can afford to get a used car. Most places are not walkable, so you’ll probably spend money either on ride services like Uber or spend money getting a car.

Alright fam, that's all I have for now. Don't be a stranger, comment below or send me a message using the contact form (https://helloyoungerme.wixsite.com/helloyoungerme/contact) in the Contact section to ask questions or suggest what articles you would like to see. My YouTube channel is coming soon too! See y'all over there.