A letter to my family back home in India

I never knew my dream to live abroad would come true until I received an email with an acceptance to the University of California, Irvine. I had no words to describe how happy I was. I spent days dreaming of the day I would fly to another place, another country, another continent… and now that day was nearing.

When the day finally came, I realized what I was heading for. For me, home was the place where “everything is good and everything is safe”. The only thing I knew was that I had to make a decision — a brave one at such a young age — and I was going to live up to it and make my parents proud. I wasn’t afraid, because I knew that the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most.

Aside from the amazing weather, here are some of the great things I’ve experienced since starting school in California.

Having my own room

The room needed a lot of arrangement, organization and decoration, but now it feels like home. I have pictures with family and friends all over my wall. I have a very special dreamcatcher hooked onto a pin — one of my closest friends made it for me. It’s so pretty, I love the feathers — they are purple and white and I so love purple. The bed is pretty high and I have to literally use a chair to climb onto it, but nevermind that.

American food

It was quite a challenge to transition from high school to college in an entirely different place and experience the culture shock. But experiencing the food definitely helped.  My first reaction was oh my god, it’s amazing. The smell of cookies and all my favorite drinks lured me closer to the dining areas. It was like a dreamland for the first few weeks… then the feeling of missing home food started settling in.

International Student Orientation

When I first started school, I thought ten weeks seemed like too short an amount of time to complete my courses. It was a very different environment compared to the one in my hometown. During the International Student Orientation, we saw all parts of the campus (huge but so beautiful) and had fun events — we even got tons of free stuff! I successfully found study places that lived up to my expectations: a quiet, peaceful place with greenery all around. A cool breeze sets the mood for studying — it boosts your concentration and determination — and I pack cookies and juices with me. Nothing can be better than this, trust me.

Fun extracurricular activities

A lot of these clubs caught my attention. I joined the 3D printing club (yes, it is as amazing as it sounds), and got involved in 3 projects — quadcopter, prosthetic arm and robotic hand. Other clubs included the Information and Computer Science Student Council Corporate Outreach Committee, the EWB International and Fundraising Projects, etc.

Halloween in America

My first Halloween ever was so fun. We went trick-or-treating to the University Hills: Seeing everyone in their costumes and the spooky environment brought a much-needed change after midterms. The next day, I attended a bonfire at Newport Beach. We sang and ate s’mores in the warmth of the bonfire. California beaches at night are awesome! I also attended the Diwali party, celebrating the holiday for the first time so far away from home. The best part? We got to eat Indian food!

A glow in the dark party

This event was as fun as it sounds — it had a live DJ, and there were glow sticks which we could form into headbands, bracelets, or waist bands. There was lots of food, desserts and refreshments. That night was a much-needed break!

A casino night

It was totally like I had stepped into a real casino — the setup was that great. I played casino games for the very first time, and I have to admit it was pretty addicting. (But we used fake money so that’s okay, I guess!)

The Big Bear Lake trip

On this trip,  I saw snow for the first time. We played in it, and built snowmen and snow forts. I don’t have enough words to explain how enchanting that place is. We went sledding, skiing and tubing. The cabins in which we lodged were so huge, cozy and beautiful. And I got to wear my favorite boots (which I was so excited about). I’ll never forget those three days!