I have been accepted by Luther College and I am excited to go there. I was just wondering how the college is for international students and how its computer science program is. Also, I can’t help but be nervous about going to a new country and meet new people, so how are the students and teachers there?
Don’t misunderstand me, I understand that college is different from school and you need to study and work hard to do well, but is it incredibly difficult to do well in your courses and stuff?
Have you asked the International Students Office at Luther to put you in touch with students from your country or at least your part of the world? The international students who are already there will have lots of useful information for you.
Whenever I have visited my son at Luther, I have seen many international students hanging out at the union. There will definitely be a support group for you there. And I’m sure you’ll get to know many students from the US as well–go on some of the outings–like kayaking on the river that goes through campus or hiking in nearby state parks–or join one of the many musical groups or sports teams. The students are very down-to-earth and friendly, and you will meet people from urban, suburban, and rural areas–so from many parts of American society.
My son (who went to a rigorous high school) really enjoys the professors at Luther and hasn’t been disappointed with a single class. He often talks with us on the phone about what he is learning; he seems to enjoy the liveliness of small classes there but he is never stressed out or anxious about the work, so I don’t think you should worry about being overwhelmed.
If you like nature, you will really enjoy the setting of Luther–there are rolling hills–it’s called “the Driftless” because, unlike most of the midwest, it is not flat. This is an area where the glaciers did not smooth out the land. The town of Decorah is also a charming place–it’s small but there are some great restaurants and a fascinating museum about Norwegian-American culture with fun classes in the folk arts. If you are missing being near a city (which could happen!), you could perhaps visit Minneapolis or Chicago with students you meet who have cars.
If you have any questions, let me know and, if I don’t know, I’ll ask my son who is currently home for spring break. It must be hard to come to another country for college. But know that you are not alone.
@ZZdecision2016 Thanks so much for the information and support! I am currently on my gap year so the nervousness about going back to school/college is slightly unnerving and while I am glad to be going to Luther, I am also terrified. Academic stress is something that I am familiar with and hope to not go through much of it during the next four years; thanks to you, I guess I don’t have much to worry about. I have always lived in cities and from what I have gathered, Luther is a completely different setting so I believe that will take me some time to adjust to as well.
I am actually quite an introverted person and don’t have many skills (not to sound pitiful ) other than reading, but I would love to explore new skills, such as writing, programming etc. I just don’t know if I will fit in because of my lack of skills or talent. That’s another thing that worries me.
Hang in there Naomi1906! You will find your way. Get to know your floor mates, enjoy your classes, soak up the quiet nature nearby, and take it one step at a time. It’s hard for everybody even if they don’t show it.
I am attending luther and I am also an internatitonal student, interested in Computer Science and data science, wondering how hard it would be to do both
) other than reading, but I would love to explore new skills, such as writing, programming etc. I just don’t know if I will fit in because of my lack of skills or talent. That’s another thing that worries me.