<p>Hello everyone,
I'm an international student, going to grad school in the U.S in the coming Fall. I wonder how would it be, in terms of social life, interactions with people etc. What should i expect? </p>
<p>Just to make the question more specific, i'll be going to a major research university for an engineering degree.</p>
<p>Damsel, like other grad students you'll have to be proactive about establishing a social circle early on. Grad students are very busy and may live far apart, so spontaneous get-togethers and chance friendships are less common. I suggest going everywhere you're invited (coffee, bars, sports games) for the first few months so that you get to know everyone and the hot spots around town. </p>
<p>Another way to meet people is through clubs or intramural sports. You probably don't have enough time to attend regularly, but you could still add some people to your social circle by going once or twice. Just a word of advice: if everyone around you looks like they're under 22, you've stumbled into an undergrad-only scene and you might not be welcome. (To an 18yo, you're an old fogey ;))</p>
<p>If you're a non-native English speaker, be sure to make lots of friends that speak English early on. I've seen way too many grad students from elsewhere that come here for school and seem to do their best to avoid picking up the language. You'll get resentment from the native US students, as well as the other internationals that have learned English.</p>
<p>snowcapk : thanks :) I'll remember i'm no longer 18 ;) What i'm apprehensive about is getting stuck with fellow students from my own country/region, since that would limit my exposure to a large extent. But i wonder if the other students out there would be open to socialising as well, with the incoming international students that is.</p>
<p>RacinReaver, I'd say i'm pretty fluent at english but yes, I do get your point.:)</p>
<p>Do you mind me asking where you are from?</p>
<p>Not to be stereotypist, but in my (limited) experience, only the asian grad students tend to "get stuck with fellow students from [their] own country", and not for lack of trying on the native students' part. We invite everyone to everything, but I have found asians at our school typically do not come out to events but rather only hang out with other asians (including Indians).</p>
<p>In my personal experience, Italians, Venezuelans, Jamaicans, etc all integrate just fine. Bottom line is what has been said...if you want to socialize with other students, it is on you. I think you will find that other grad students are perfectly open to socializing with you, so long as you make the effort to accept the invitations. The only people that get stuck in their own cliques are the ones that choose to. Sounds like you have the right attitude and should be fine.</p>
<p>New_User : You kinda guessed right. Asian.</p>
<p>* I think you will find that other grad students are perfectly open to socializing with you, so long as you make the effort to accept the invitations.*</p>
<p>Sounds better.</p>