Hello! I am back to the CSSA blog.
I was away from the CSSA blog for 6 month. I apologize for not to being able to post for a while. The past 6 months was definitely challenging because there was something going on which made me difficult to focus on studying, but I overcame the situation and it gave me confidence to deal with challenges I may encounter in the future. Even though there were many challenging things that happened, I had great support from my cohorts, friends, advisor, CSSA faculty and everyone I know on campus.
The greatest experience in the past 6 months was to be able to attend a professional conference, NAFSA in Washington D.C. There were great workshops I could go to and I learned many things from the workshops. Especially, I was amazed how internatioanl educators use a lot of technology to work with students such as facebook, blogs and so on. It was really great to learn how to use facebook as a professional tool because now I am doing an internship at internatioanal admissions office to organize a facebook group community called, NEW2OSU – international students-.
When I applied to OSU, I wanted to connect to other international and domestic students before i came to the U.S. so it is kind of the community group which I was looking for. We are also organizing the “International Welcome Center” for newly arriving international students. We will provide useful information for international students to help their transition and to settle into Corvallis.
I really enjoy working on this project and working at international admissions office this summer.
- Naoko
Yes, time just goes by so fast. This term, I am doing two internships, which just keep me busy and learning so many things from that. I especially enjoy doing an internship at ISOSU (international students of OSU). The best thing about this internship is to be able to work with students. In my graduate assistant position, I closely work with other international exchange coordinator in other campuses and abroad. I am just amazed by student organization on campus. They put a lot of energy and passion into it besides homework. We just had a retreat for ISOSU and other affiliates on Saturday. It was great to exchange our opinions. Since we all are from different backgrounds, we have different communication styles, I learned a lot from them.
I still have a hard time speaking up in class. It is kind of like jumping rope to me to jump into a conversation. I always need to make sure that the other people finish saying their opinions. But this term, I will try to challenges myself to speak up more. I think the CSSA program is a great place to put ourselves into challenging situations and learn from that because there are always great supporters to help us go through the challenging times.
My teachers, adviser (Jackie), mentor (Joanna), my cohorts, my co-worker in GTA office, my roommates, CSSA graduates and writing center. If I ask for help, they are always fully supportive to me even though they are busier than I am.
As I get comfortable being at OSU and living in Corvallis, I tend to stay in my comfort zone. But I will not stay in my comfort zone. I will go to the places I feel less comfortable to challenge myself and learn from that.
I had a great vacation in Minnesota and started winter term this week.
I met CSSA graduate, Eric Stoller, and his friend before school started. It was really nice to see and talk with them in person. When I was looking for a graduate program for student affairs in higher education in Japan, I found Eric’s blogfolio on the Internet. I learned so many things from the blog and he provided me great information about the program, which was really helpful. It just led me to decide to apply to CSSA program. It is great that he and his friend, who is also CSSA graduate, still help me and have lunch together.
This is Eric’s blogfolio: Click Here!
Yesterday, I had a chance to write an article about New Year’s holidays in Japan on the Barometer: Click Here!
I was excited about this opportunity. It has been two days since school started, but I am learning so many things and exposed to many experiences. I think in OSU there are many opportunities available to learn and experience, so I want to take as many opportunities as I can while I am here.
Naoko
I am really excited to finish my first term in graduate school.
It was really challenging but at the same time I had great support to get through this challenge.
I am just thankful for all of the support I have had.
I wanted to write what I studied this term.I took four classes:
- History of American Higher Education (3 credits)
- Programs and Functions in College Student Services (3 credits)
- Principles/Theories of Student Development I (3 credits)
- Transition Seminar (3 credits)
I learned many things from each course. It is hard to summarize what I learned in a short paragraph because there are so many things to write. This term, I tried to relate all courses to my interest in the student affairs field, which is international student services and study abroad. I wrote a research paper on the history of international student populations in U.S. higher education. I did an interview with the international programs offices in three different university settings. It was a great opportunity to connect with people outside of campus. I learned about student development theory which I can apply to my work with international students.
As I studied more, I found that there are many offices on campus which provide services for international students. Now my new interest is in career services for international students. I would like to learn about career services so I will do an internship at career services next term. I am really excited about this opportunity.
I am more confident after completing my first term in graduate school. I am looking forward to next term to learn new things and meet more people!
- Naoko
This term is almost over.
I have been trying to figure out how much I can do it by myself. But this week, it reached to the point that I could not do it by myself anymore.
I am learning how and when to ask for a help and support. I do not want to ask for help all the time because at first I want to figure out how much I can do it by myself. But at the same time if I try to do it by myself, sometimes it does not work. I think the balance is important. It is hard to find the balance at new environment and different culture. I am still trying to find the balance.
This week, I could not survive without help from my classmates, adviser, roommates, teacher, coworkers and writing center. I am really thankful to everybody who helped me to go through. There are many challenging here but at the same time there are many supports who help me to go through difficult times. This is the best learning environments for me.
The exciting news is that I am on the news paper. It is about monthly international women coffee hour.
It was really nice to learn about other cultures in a different country.
Click Here!
Three more days to finish this term. Time flies.
I just love to study in the library in the morning.
I usually go to the library at 7:30 and go to the 4th or 5th floor to study for a couple hours.
It is really quiet in the morning and it is really pretty outside.
After I study a couple hours, I get coffee in the library and go to work. Then I go to class in the afternoon.
I am still learning how to manage my time. I need to read and write papers but I do not want to stay in the library all the time. So tomorrow, I will help with the pumpkin carving event for both international students and host students!
Today, I did a pumpkin carving with my friends! It was my first time to do it in my life!
It is always exciting to do new things.
Naoko Kawamura
I arrived in Corvallis in September, last
month. It was my second time to study abroad in the U.S. I was nervous, but my roommate
came to the airport to pick me up. It was really nice of her and I felt
welcomed. I also met other people when I was in Corvallis for an interview
during Campus Days, which helped me a lot to adjust to living here.
It has been one month since I came here. I
feel comfortable living here. Corvallis is like the city where I am originally
from in Japan.
This is my first term to take 12 credits and
work 20 hours/week as a GTA in the International Program Office. I am still trying to
figure out how to manage my time. This week, I have been working on writing a paper.
Since I studied computer science during my undergrad, I really did not gain experience writing long papers. But there is a great service: the writing
center, to help me with writing. I go there at least three times a week. There
are many people and resources that can see for help, so I know that I can do
it!!
Naoko
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