Why study in the U.S.? Well, I cannot think of any reason not to, nor can I imagine any other place for me to develop academically. Before coming here I borrowed the enthusiasm of students who'd already studied in the USA and now I feel that I may pass it forward to future international students.

Queens College was not my main option, despite the fact that I was impressed by the outstanding faculty who promoted great research opportunities in Applied Behavior Analysis. I felt disappointed at first for not being admitted where I wanted most, but soon I learned that it was all for the best. For me, studying at Queens College (CUNY) opened a world of academic, professional, and personal opportunities. Altogether, this is the most challenging and wonderful growing experience I’ve ever had.

Academically, there don’t seem to be any boundaries in USA. Theoretical training and access to information are as good as one can imagine. Professors are there for you, whether that means staying after class for as long as it takes to get into detail with theoretical issues, being available for meetings (as often as you need!), offering advice for academic development, borrowing books, or trying to help with academic and cultural adjustment. The USA is also the place to find experts in your field, regardless of what that is. Work internships and participation in research programs developed by the faculty are great opportunities to come into contact with such experts and learn to deal with “the other side of the coin”: the practice. Last but not least, studying in the USA offers a great chance to make new contacts, learn about other cultures, and share your own cultural background and perspective. This personal experience is even more intense for me because I study in New York City, which I believe is the most diverse cultural place in the U.S. Although the cultural experiences might seem irrelevant for professional development, I believe they are fundamental in becoming open minded and developing inter-personal skills.

When I think of the first few months of school, the most intense recollection I have is of panic (now I can laugh at it, but back then it was anything but funny). Everyone told me that the first semester is the most difficult one for an international student and so it was. I was surrounded by new people, experiences, and expectations, while all I could think of was the old ones. The academic requirements and the volume of work required on my behalf were enormous (compared to what I was used to) and, at the same time, learning and writing in English was far more time-consuming than I had imagined. However, with patience, perseverance, and hard work (lots of it!) anyone can pull it through. Looking back, I think there are five things that helped me.

First, the syllabus! If there was a ranking of inventions for academic use, the syllabus would be right on top. Basically, at the beginning of each course every student is offered a description which covers the learning objectives, the assignments, the topics of each lecture, the required and optional reading materials, and the grading system (very detailed and objective). Everything is so well organized that you know what is expected of you from the very beginning and, therefore, you can plan your learning for the whole semester. Besides, there are assignments and tests on a weekly basis, so learning is a continuous process. This leads to my second point, which is time management. It is essential to make good learning plans, establish deadlines and objectives, and KEEP them! One cannot get away with taking a week off from learning because he/she “doesn’t feel like it”. There is so much to learn and to do every week that you will fall behind. Thirdly, the professors! I don’t want to be redundant, but those people are there to help you and you have to make the most of it. A good strategy for every student, especially for international ones, is to find a good and friendly professor with whom to develop a mentoring relationship. Such a relationship goes far beyond the typical professor-student encounters; a mentor can assist your academic steps (in my case, my professor helps me choose the best track for the doctoral program I want to enroll on once I complete my master's program), give you professional and personal advice, offer practice opportunities (e.g. participating in extracurricular research), introduce you to other faculty members - the list is endless. The fourth thing that helped me was thinking positive and being proactive. My first major writing assignment turned out not so well: I got 80 out of 100 points. I don’t recall ever receiving anything less than maximum grades for my writing in college and grad school (in Romania), so at first I was very disappointed, although the professor’s comments and feedback made perfect sense. This determined me to work on my writing and the professor agreed to explain, assign me writing tasks, and give me feedback. With his help I improved my writing and I got an A for my final paper. My point is to think of every experience as an opportunity to learn and improve. A less than perfect grade is not a failure, but another opportunity to learn. Needless to say that as you appreciate a professor who is interested in your academic development, a professor appreciates a student who shows interest in learning. The last thing I want to talk about is the support of family and friends. It is very important to be surrounded or keep contact with people who believe in you and who support and respect your work. I owe a lot of what I accomplished so far to my parents, whose confidence in me is endless, and to my husband, who left his job and friends and came with me all the way here so that I can get the training I need in order to become a well prepared professional the field I feel passionate about. These are the people who say (and truly believe that) “You can do it!” whenever you feel overwhelmed.

Even though I’m only at the beginning of my American journey, I believe I grew a lot, both professionally and personally, and I just can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. I’d like to think that my story can inspire others to challenge themselves and pursue an excellent academic training in the USA.

Best,

Mirela Cengher