International Student Newsletter

Dear International Students,

We hope you are all doing well, and staying warm throughout this cold and snowy winter. In this month’s newsletter, learn more about TEDxBU, and consider sharing your current research interests or school projects during two salons, on March 14 and April 4. Also, learn tools to help navigate and lower stress by attending an ERC workshop such as “Gear Up for Midterms” or “Test Taking and Test Anxiety”. In the Employment in the U.S. section, meet Sarah Teoh (CAS’20), who reflects on her path to her current position as a Medicinal Chemistry Research Associate at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. In Culture Corner, IPM Program Assistant Liz McCarthy, discusses college sports, and why they are such an essential part of the U.S. college experience.

We wish you best of luck with your remaining midterm exams and projects!

We hope you enjoy this content, and if you have any feedback or suggestions for future newsletters, please contact Kamelia Turcotte at kameliat@bu.edu

Announcements

TEDxBU

TEDxBU will be holding two salons this semester at the Howard Thurman Center, including on March 14 and April 4 from 6-8 pm. Participants will screen and discuss TED talks, and may choose to share a talk about anything from their current research interests to a school project or thesis. Those interested should sign up through this form! Additionally, the TEDxBU committee is looking to expand their team. Interested applicants are encouraged to inquire through this form.

Test Taking Strategies

Attend “Gear Up for Midterms: Study Strategies and Test Taking” and “Test Taking and Test Anxiety” workshops by the ERC to learn about the different tools you need to tackle midterm season! These workshops will help you study more effectively, lower your stress levels, and stay focused. Then attend a mindfulness practice to manage stress, encourage calmness and increase focus during this time.

Behavioral Medicine Groups and Workshops

Did you know that BU Behavioral Medicine has various workshops and groups to help students address a variety of mental health-related needs? These groups and workshops aim to decrease isolation and expand support networks, while helping students gain effective coping skills.

Spring 2022 Schedule

Upcoming Events

Full Calendar

Employment in the U.S.

Sarah by a snowy field with the Boston skyline in the background

A Word from Alumni

BU alum, Sarah Teoh (CAS’20) shares advice on her path to her current position as a Medicinal Chemistry Research Associate at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Read the Full Story

Culture Corner

College Sports in America

Written by Liz McCarthy, International Peer Mentor Assistant

College athletics in the U.S. receive lots of hype. We are about to enter March Madness, the largest college basketball tournament in the world, and have just watched the BU Men’s Hockey team win a historic 31st Beanpot Championship, but what exactly is with all the hype?

This is a conversation that I have had many times while watching BU hockey games with my mentee in the International Peer Mentor Program, Nupur. Nupur is a Pardee student originally from Mumbai. She comes from a family of cricket and tennis enthusiasts, and she very willingly threw herself into BU’s version of the American college experience. This meant attending hockey games – lots of them. Nupur went from knowing nothing about the sport to attending ten games before winter break and informing me of which team members have signed contracts with the NHL (National Hockey League) teams.

Paige Lyman of Edvoy, an online support platform for international students studying in the U.S., found a couple major reasons for college sports’ popularity in the U.S. The first reason, and the one which Nupur and I have experienced the most, is history and pride. “For any sports fan, there is often a sense of pride that starts to build between the fan and sports team,” Lyman says. It feels good to be a part of something and to be connected to those around you, and, with over 60 different colleges and universities in the Boston area, it feels good to have bragging rights and to celebrate victories over decades old rivals.

Additionally, most college athletics organizations have been around longer than American professional sports, only increasing alumni and students’ sense of pride. College sports teams also act as a recruiting pipeline for professional teams. There have been dozens of Terriers in the NHL. By watching college games, you could be watching the stars of the future. Nupur also notes that there is no such recruiting structure back home in India. According to her, there is not an appetite among college and high school students to go cheer on their school teams, if these teams exist at all.

Nupur recalls that many star cricket players grew up practicing on the roofs of buildings because they did not have a school team to join, there were no athletic facilities nearby, or they could not afford to join any private leagues. In a sense, American college sports teams are also an extension of the American dream. According to the NCAA (the governing body for most college sports), about 66% of student athletes receive some level of athletics aid. While it is not a perfect system, no matter what a student’s financial background is, if they have talent, they could be given the opportunity to play and go after their athletic dreams.

Paige Lyman also points out the excitement surrounding game day experiences and the enjoyability of the game itself. There certainly is a feeling of excitement while walking down Comm Ave. towards Agganis Arena, and the most recent game against BC certainly provided some enjoyment and reprieve in the midst of midterms. Sports are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but they are a quintessential part of the American college experience, and, even though I am certainly biased and grew up in a sports-loving household, I encourage everyone to go to at least one game and experience the “hype” for themselves.

Sources: Why Are College Sports So Popular in the USA and NCAA Recruiting Fact Sheet

If you have suggestions for an aspect of American culture to feature in the next communication, please contact Kamelia Turcotte at kameliat@bu.edu