As international students, we are always worried about not fitting in, not finding the right group of friends and all the other concerns that come with being far away from home. I’m from Pakistan –a country that is a 21 hour journey, and sometimes more, by plane. Many of you who live in Asia or South Asia would understand how difficult and expensive it is to make that journey. But one thing that has really helped me adjust to this new environment is trying to find interesting ways to find your place at the University of Southern California (USC).
I am going to use this blog to tell you what you can do to make yourself at home in this beautiful city. You should always know that you are never going to be alone. As per Fall 2018, there were 11,308 international students enrolled at USC and they’re all in the same boat as you and me. We all miss the food at home, we miss being with our families and celebrating exciting holidays like Thanksgiving or the Chinese New Year and we miss our friends that we have grown up with. So my first tip to you is to keep an open mind, put a brave face on and take this as a challenge. While doing this, it is important that you be yourself.
You will find people who will be in awe of your diversity and they’ll be curious about your culture and your life back home, you will find people who you gel with perfectly and also some who you won’t gel with at all. But you’ll only really find a close group of friends if you put yourself out there.
‘Tis the season of pumpkin spice lattes, snuggling up on your couch, and holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Fall is a time to breathe in the crisp cool weather, break out your sweaters and scarves, and of course eat everything pumpkin. Here are some of my favorite fall traditions.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Photo is author’s own
One of my favorite traditions is going to local pumpkin patches with my family or friends and picking out pumpkins to bring home and decorate. Most pumpkin patches sell things like hot apple cider and some even have small rides!
Carve a Pumpkin
Photo is author’s own
Once you’ve selected your pumpkin, you get to carve it up and decorate it! You can find simple ideas online and most stores sell relatively inexpensive pumpkin carving tools! Here’s an example of the pumpkin that I carved last year!
Indulge in Pumpkin Spice Latte Everything
Photo from Pixabay
When I was younger, the most memorable food of the season was pumpkin pie and candy corn but now that PSL (pumpkin spice lattes) have taken over, there is a whole world of pumpkin spice flavored things that are full of festive flavor.
Enjoy the Warmth of Bonfires
Photo from Unsplash
The best part of any bonfire is S’MORES!! It you’re like me and love late night sweets then this is the fall tradition for you. A s’more is a toasted marshmallow sandwiched between Graham crackers and chocolate. This sugary concoction is best served over an open flame but if you live in an apartment there are also microwave and oven safe variations.
Binge with Movie Marathons
Photo by Marian Ladiona on Flickr
“Halloween Town”, “Hocus Pocus”, and “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” are my absolute favorite fall movies and I definitely recommend watching them to get into the Halloween spirit. Fall weather tends to be chilly so a great way to embrace the season is to cuddle up on the sofa with a mug of hot apple cider and marathon a bunch of feel good movies. A popular alternative movie night is to binge watch horror movies (but I am a scaredy cat and I do not enjoy scary movies!)
Go Fake Camping
Photo by Paul on Flickr
This is one of my favorite childhood memories. My friends and I always loved the idea of camping but didn’t love the idea of bugs, a lack of restrooms, and long drives so we would set up a tent in the living room or backyard. We would bring in snacks and sleeping bags and pretend that we were in the mountains exploring the great outdoors.
Bake Cookie and other Fall Treats
Photo by Kurman Communications, Inc. on Flickr
There’s nothing more cozy than a warm oven wafting the smell of fresh baked goods. The oven warms a chilly house and the baked goods make the room smell amazing. PLUS, you get fun treats to share (or you can eat them all yourself!)
Soak in the Season at Disneyland
Photo by Loren Javier on Flickr
As an avid Disney fan, one of my favorite things is watching the park transform each season. The fall season brings out pumpkin desserts and spooky decorations!
I hope you have an amazing fall season and that you get to make memories that turn into traditions!
Brianna is a first year graduate student at the Keck School of Medicine studying Global Medicine. She is Chinese, British and Irish and currently lives and studies at the HSC (health science campus). Born and raised in Southern California, Brianna received her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and medical anthropology. Brianna is passionate about research and volunteering and loves trying new things. In her free time she enjoys reading, dancing, trying new foods, and traveling! Brianna was a resident adviser in a community that had international housing and her family hosts international high school students!
While San Diego may be best known for its beaches or attractions such as Sea World, as a native, I know that there are several other less-known opportunities that anyone can enjoy. San Diego is probably best known for its beaches, including the beaches in La Jolla, Coronado, Oceanside, or Moonlight Beach, and in addition to the multitudes of beaches, you may have also heard of San Diego’s many feature attractions such as Sea World, the Safari Park, or Legoland. What you may not have heard of, however, are many of the other features of my beautiful hometown.
If you are a nature enthusiast, there are several opportunities throughout various parts of San Diego. For hiking, there are several locations around San Diego of varying length and difficulty, all with beautiful greenery. Some of these locations include the Torrey Pines trail in Torrey Pines (known as a relatively easy hike with two trails approximately a mile each) and the multitude of hiking trails in Poway, a subcommunity of San Diego, specifically the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve (known for its native plants and wildlife, and is also a relatively easy hike).
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Alternatively, if you are more into the bar or club scene, the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown is a good place to go. With at least 16 clubs and restaurants there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of the city. On a side note to this interest though, if you are interested in a day-time version of this activity, San Diego is also well known for its vineyards, are there are plenty of opportunities to visit and attend wine tastings (I personally recommend the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo or any of the vineyards in the nearby area of Temecula).
Photo by Ted McGrath on Flickr
There is also the opportunity to see many parts of San Diego’s history in downtown in Little Italy or in many of the available historical sites such as the USS Midway, Balboa Park. I highly recommend Balboa Park. As the host to various exhibits throughout the year in its in-house museums (including San Diego’s Natural History Museum), and also some of the best gardens, Balboa Park is a wonderful place to spend a day exploring and enjoying the sunny warm weather typical for San Diego.
All in all, San Diego is a very diverse city, with much to offer anyone who is interested and I am proud to call it home. Happy traveling!
