Social Life

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You may find that you have more in common with the other foreign students going to your school than the Americans. This is because your all going through he same experience of leaving your home countries and having to deal with an entirely new culture. Some of your best friends will sometimes be other foreigners.

In the United States, people often say, "Hi, how are you?" or "How are you doing?" and then don't wait for a response. That's because this is just a polite phrase and not really a question. An appropriate response to this is "Fine, thanks." American's have a lot of these polite sayings which shouldn't be taken literally.

Campus Life

One of the best places to make acquaintances is in your dorm, if your living on campus. On your floor there will be a combination of different personalities, tastes, likes, dislikes, habits, and interests. Get to know some of the people in your dorm by participating in dormitory activities.

There are several ways for you to meet other students with similar interests as yourself. You may find people in your classes or labs who share similar interests with you. But there are also clubs and organizations within many schools for students with particular interests to get together in. There are fraternities and sororities, cultural and religious associations, sports teams/clubs, student government associations, and music and theater groups.

Dating

Couples in the U.S. often go out in the evening to attend a party, see a movie, or attend a concert. Students may even get together for a study date. It is common practice for either the man or woman to ask the other out on a date. Expenses are usually split between the two of them for the movie, concert, or meal.

Take the time to meet people both on and off the campus, you'll be glad you did. And your American experience will be more worthwhile because you did.