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"Hello freshmen and congratulations for making the decision to come to ������̳. It has been four tough yet rewarding years for me and I hope you will have a similar experience. There's so much to say and honestly I love advice and tips. I always wished that I would have had a mentor, especially an international student, to guide me at least for the first few months to make sure that I am well-adapted or perhaps acculturated to the ������̳ culture. However, before I continue to write further about potential tips, everything I say is from my personal experience and may not apply to everyone. One of my favorite words that I have learned based on my four years at ������̳ is “contextual.” Every ������̳ students' experience is contextual and there is no typical experience. I think a little biography helps and if you have any further questions, I am a happy Mawrter who would love to keep in touch after graduation.  

"Perhaps among the few pieces of advice are to have goals, make a plan, understand your limitations and set priorities. I came to ������̳ thinking that I could join five clubs, take five classes and still have a social and healthy life. Before I knew it, I was sleeping fewer than six hours a day, struggling in classes and losing valuable friends. Freshmen year was very hard for me. The school and students usually encourage freshmen to explore and take a variety of classes. They made me think that everything was possible and that there are no such things as limitations. This is not to blame anyone, but it would have been helpful to emphasize that everyone has limitations as well and how students should learn how to say "no." Learning my own limitations and weaknesses has helped me push myself further. This doesn't mean I did not enjoy challenges. I admit, I wasn't the brightest at quantitative subjects but that didn't stop me from doing Intermediate Microeconomics. I struggled but I attended office hours almost twice a week, studied in groups and still passed. It was a personal satisfaction and felt like I had just run a marathon.

"I wouldn't want freshmen to entirely rely on ������̳ and hinder their opportunity to discover life outside of campus. Having goals and planning ahead involves not only enjoying the present but also thinking about the future. Think about possible careers, sectors and internships that would benefit you. I didn't know what I really wanted to do and am still unsure sometimes, but I know for sure what I do not want to do after completing a few summer internships. Enjoy the process and journey but at the same time be realistic and keep your priorities straight. Have friends who will emotionally support you and avoid drama at all possible. It's better to be surrounded by positive friends who will foster a positive learning environment.

"I'm graduating in a few weeks and I cannot wait for the next journey. I will be working in the United Nations in NY this summer and attend my dream college, Cambridge University, for my graduate studies this October. Dreams do come true if you work hard and believe in yourself. Don't try to achieve everything and most importantly, do not compare yourself to others. All you need to remember is that you are the captain of your ship and no one should decide what's best for you."