My name is Xiaoxiong. I am from China and I am a sophomore at Winthrop University.

My name is Xiaoxiong. I’m from China and I’m a sophomore at Winthrop University.
I feel really lucky to be a student at Winthrop University; I have had great experiences here. As an international student, the most difficult thing for me had been the language problem. It took me several months to get used to the Southern accent. Sometimes, even today, when other students or instructors talk to me, I can barely understand them. But it’s getting there. One thing for sure though, people here are very nice. They are patient and gentle, and they explain things to me slowly to make sure that I totally understand their points. Also, living and learning at Winthrop had made me more mature and more responsible for myself. I have to take care of myself, as most college kids do, making sure that I am prepared for all the courses and quizzes. But it was harder for me because English wasn’t easy and is still fairly new for me. In order to make sure that I had mastered my courses, I needed to put more effort into them than the average student. I started asking more questions, talking to my professors, and discussing a lot with classmates to get more feedback from people. Sometimes, I find myself staying the whole day in the library to do some research on a project. As a testament to all my hard work, I have seen my grades in my courses improve. What’s more, in order to get more involved into the American culture and make connections with other people, I needed to participate in all kinds of activities. Winthrop happens to have many cultural events and activities each week, which makes me understand American culture better- now I have more friends here! The International Center also helps me to learn more about Americans. It has hosted a lot of activities to attract the international student (like me) and help them to get to know different people and things. In summary, living and learning at Winthrop University has been and will be the most precious experience in my life.