How to select the best place for studying?

Many students dream of studying in the best university in the world such as MIT or TAMU. It's great to enrolled in the top ranking university. But, did you ask yourself what does the university ranking main? Definitely, I know a lot of students do not know what different factor are included in the university evaluation. They think the ranking just depends on educational quality. That's wrong! There many aspects included in the ranking such as the campus area and facilities, the ratio of faculty members to students, the female and male ratio, graduation rate, and the acceptance rate. For that reason, you should not look at a ranking list alone. From my experience, there are three main factors you must consider before you decide what is the best university. In the following paragraph I will give some reasons that support my opinion.

First of all, the main factor each person must consider before moving to another country or another city for a job or study is the crime rate. The crime rate varies from one place to another. There are many sources and websites that show the crime rate per cent. Personally, before I decided to come to the English Language Institute at TAMU, I considered this as a main factor to select the best ELI in the U.S. behind another factor which I will discuss later. As a result, I visited many different websites, and I found TAMU campus and College Station to be a very safe place for living.

A second important factor to move to a new place or to select the one of the top schools, especially for student is the life expenses. As students, we must be careful about this factor. We have a lot of things to think about; we have a lot of assignments to do, reports, projects, and so on. Also, we have to pay the university tuition, so we do not need to waste our attention worrying about having enough money to pay the apartment rent that is very costly. For that, you do not need to work for six hours after your classes. For instance, I looked into this aspect before I came to College Station. As a result, I found, for example the average monthly apartment rent is approximately from $400 to $500, which is good for me. If you visit another city you will notice the cost of living clearly.

Finally, the last factor for selecting your future destination is the weather conditions. This factor depends on each person’s feeling. Some people like to live in a cold area while other people prefer the heat or the beach. So, you must think about it before you make any decision. For example, the climate in most countries in the Middle East is very hot and very humid. Therefore, I cannot live in cold locations in the north of the USA, as a result, I am here in Texas.

In conclusion, there are three main factors from my experience that each high school student or postgraduate student must consider before they move into a new place for their educational purpose which are the crime rate, the cost of living, and finally the climatic condition. So you should not select your school depending only on the top ranking list!!

Life in College Station

essay and photos by Saleh Almazyad

College Station is a beautiful small town, where the campus is the center and heart of the city. You will find everything you need as a student here.

The first thing you need to do is to find a place to live. There are many options. You can stay in the dorms on campus or you may rent an apartment off campus. If wish to stay on campus, it’s quite simple. You can book your unit from the university’s website. But if you want to stay off campus, it’s a little bit more complicated. You must search and keep searching until you find the suitable apartment. You must consider the location of the apartment and also the rent. One website I would recommend is “Apartment guide”. The website is easy to surf and has a lot valuable information.

As far as dining options go, there are more restaurants than people here in College Station! So you should not worry about that problem. There are restaurants from many different cuisines. Personally I would recommend The Republican Steak House, because in my opinion they have the best steak in town! And for fast food restaurant’s, I recommend Chipotle, Jack in the Box and what a burger. Also you can always consider Subway as a healthy option.

As I said earlier College Station is a small and cozy town, but that does not mean that it’s boring. There are a lot of different activities that you can do especially on the weekends. First, you can go to the Recreation Center where you will find literally every kind of sport. You can go there and play soccer, volleyball, basketball, etc. There is also a cinema here in town. And College Station is surrounded by major cities in Texas like Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. You can visit these cities on the weekends and enjoy your time.

To conclude, I hope that these tips can help you all to cope with the new society that you will all find yourself in. So welcome to College Station and good luck. And do not forget to always have fun.

How to Play Badminton as a Newcomer

Badminton is an interesting sport and a popular form of exercise. You can play singles or doubles with the equipment of a badminton racket, a feather or plastic shuttlecock and a badminton field. As a newcomer to badminton, you need to master some basic techniques.

There are some fundamental rules about hitting the shuttle. Try to remember and practice the following three steps when you hit the shuttle. First, always hit the center of the shuttle. You should hit the round rubber center of the shuttle every time and practice with your hand to get more familiar with the shuttle. Second, hit the shuttle at the top of its track. This will allow you to take more advantage of the shuttle’s speed and height compared with letting the shuttle come close to you. Third, try to hit the shuttle toward the back line. If you have enough strength and the back line is wide open, you should aim the shuttle there. Be careful to aim the shuttle closer than the back line to avoid committing a fault hitting the shuttle out of bounds behind the back line.

Next, let’s pay attention to the footwork. You should always try to return to the middle of the court whenever you return the shuttle back. This will protect you from running around by your opponent and prepare you for the next shot. Besides, keep moving your feet while you are waiting for the shuttle. Make tiny movements with your feet until the shuttle is in perfect position and adjust yourself to return the shot.

Then, practice the low volley and high volley under different circumstances. When your opponents are not in the position to return the low volley in time, you can hit the shuttle at a high contact point lightly and drop it closer to the racket so that the shuttlecock will fall quickly and precisely. Otherwise, hitting a high volley toward the back line when your opponent is standing in front of the service line. You should adjust yourself until the shuttle is within your stretching arm. Meanwhile, swing the racket back above your shoulder to accumulate energy, then swing the racket forward and hit the shuttle.

In the end, you should never give up. Do your best to hit the shuttle, because the harder you try, the more proficiently you will be able to coordinate your body to return the volley.

How to Improve your Language

by Jawad Al Drwish

English is not only important in education, but it also plays a major role in communication. My first goal of learning English is to acquire more knowledge about other cultures, customs, and religions. You have just arrived in the U.S and you want to speak fluently with correct pronunciation. Are you worried about your grammar? Just, you need to follow these steps which may assist you in accomplishing your goal.

Firstly, you need to join a good institute which surely would help you in developing your language. Generally, schools help students in learning 30 percent of the language and the other 70 % depends on student performance. When you join any school, you should do your assignments and submit your homework on time. Also, you have to study for exams and quizzes; however, complain about tests should not be shown; you ought to love the language to increase your inclination in learning more and more. Also, it is very important to follow the school rules such as attendance, which is important which shows your interest toward English.

The second step is to consider English as a part of your life. It should be used in your daily life. Beside school, you need to work more in developing your skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. You could improve your reading skill by selecting topics that you are interested in them. I am interested in sociology, so I usually read about divorce, marriage and love. Also, watching TV is a great idea, if you want improve your listening. Writing is one of most difficult skills in English; therefore, you have to practice it every day. Maybe, you start by writing a short paragraph about your family, city, and friend. Then, expand your skill via writing essays and try to express your opinion.

Finally, there are many activities, festivals, and organizations around the USA. You have so many opportunities to engage in the culture and build your English knowledge. I attended the independent state of Texas museum in Washington on the Brazos River. I acquired some information about types of jobs which were available in the past. Also, you have the chance to improve your speaking and express your concepts. Make sure that you participate in some of them. Last semester, I participated in the English-Arabic exchange program. My partner’s name was David, we had a great time, and we shared our ideas and culture. I gained new vocabulary and I improved my speaking.

Actually, these steps are somewhat easy to follow and apply, but you still should work hard to achieve your goals. You have to follow instructors’ advice and do not miss classes. It is a good idea to include English in your life. Practice English everywhere and every time. Engaging in an English environment assists English leaner in expanding their language. Try to speak confidently; do not be shy because of your mistakes.

How to Succeed in a Job Interview

 

by Yousef Albaraidi

Getting a job is heavily dependent on the interview. Even though you might have high credentials, your personality plays a large role in the process. When people get a call for a job interview, they sometimes panic, and they don't know how to prepare for it. From my experience, if you want to succeed in a job interview, you need to follow these simple directions.

First, search company's profile and background. Start by looking at their historical data, statistics, and future goals and plans. Also, you should know in detail about the position you applied for. Additionally, you have to be able to answer questions like: Why did you choose our company? Why this particular job? They want to know if you are trying to invest yourself in their company.

Secondly, predict the questions that they might ask you and try to practice those questions with someone. Since they may ask you about anything that is not related to the job, you have to be well prepared. Such questions could be about the current market situation, world news, and other unrelated facts. This is just to know your level of knowledge.

After that, on the day of the interview, dress well, so you look professional. For the same reason, you have to arrive on time, preferably 15 minutes before the interview, which also gives you enough time to calm down. Next, during the interview, be honest, confident, and keep your answers simple and short. Talk about what people think you do well. Avoid criticizing or blaming others, especially your previous employers, because you don't want to look like an irresponsible person. Finally, at the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for seeing you. Then they should tell you when to expect to get a call back. If not, ask them politely.

In conclusion, rigorous preparation for a job interview can help you overcome anxiety and fear with the ability to leave a good impression.

How to Enjoy Life in College Station

by Saeed Alsuayri

Studying abroad is one of the new experiences that everyone wishes to have. In this experience you see a new culture, speak another language, and discover new places. While you are looking for a university to get admitted into, of course you are interested in finding places that have activities where you can have fun during the weekends or weekdays. College Station has one of biggest campuses in the United States, so you have a variety of options of new events, sport clubs, and recreational amenities.

To begin with, nowadays, social media is an important factor to participate in college events. Facebook is a beneficial online social medium. I recommend that before coming to College Station, you should have your own page on Facebook. To illustrate, when you are looking for an event you just write in the search bar “events in College Station” or you can find there is an option on the list that is called “event” click on it, and you will find all events during a semester in College Station. There are a lot of choices. Some of them are off campus such as First Friday, and others are on campus such as Breakaway.

Each student who is studying at Texas A&M University is called an Aggie. As an Aggie, you should know that Texas A&M University has an incredible team. During fall semesters, there are many games in College Station which are played on Kyle Field. I suggest that you buy a sport pass which allows you to enter all games on Kyle Field. In addition, there is a student recreation center which includes a gym, swimming pools, and many kinds of sports such as soccer, basketball, and hiking. I have visited this center more than 20 times since I came to College Station.

In addition to that, some international students, especially those who have their family with them, are searching for recreational amenities. I suggest that you search on Google for “things to do in College Station.” Then you will find many activities. There are some parks in the town that help you to relax or read a book. Moreover, there is a Cinemark, a movie theater, is located in College Station and Bryan, and Grand Station in which you can play bowling, mini golf, and laser tag. Also, there are some lakes around the town such as Bryan Lake. Despite the fact that there are some cities with more attractions than College Station, College Station has a unique location. College Station has a feature: this city is located in the middle among the four biggest cities in Texas: Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. During weekends you can go to each of these cities.

In conclusion, using your smart phone or laptop is the smartest and easiest way to find events and places in College Station. You should arrange your time and make a schedule to enjoy your leisure time. In College Station, there are outdoor and indoor activities, and events during the year on and off campus. These options give you the choice to find what you like most.

How to Find a Suitable Home in College Station

photo and essay by Yasser Alzahrani

Howdy (the common local greeting word) and welcome to College Station. When you arrive in the new city, one of your main concerns is to find a home. Therefore, a couple of ways to look for an appropriate place to live will be provided.

When planning your trip, make sure to book a flight that arrives to the city before the beginning of the semester, at least two weeks early. By doing so, you will find more options and variety of apartments for lease. Arriving late may narrow your choices in finding an affordable rent, a clean living quarter, and a good proximity to the university.

Once you arrive in the city, you may need to stay in a hotel for a couple of days until you find a permanent home. Whether you rent a car or not, it’s better to use technology to help you search for a home. There are many applications on smart phones and many websites you can use in your search. For instance Google Maps is a navigation application which can be simply used by typing “apartments” in the search bar to get a list of many apartments in the city area, and then you can click on each of them to see the working hours, the phone number and the property website. I recommend calling everyone to check the availability, prices, and leasing periods. Then visit their website to look at pictures of their floor plans and the available amenities they have. After this search, you will end with a list of apartments that you will choose from later on.

After prioritizing the listed apartments, you should call the apartments’ offices prior going to take a tour of their property. While taking the tour, the tour guide will take you to a model apartment that simulates other apartments offered for lease, and show you their amenities such as studying rooms, lounge, fitness center, body building gym and swimming pool. These tours will give you the chance to see the property in reality so that you select the most appropriate one.

To conclude, the most critical issue in the movement to another city is the issue of finding a convenient home to live in. Arriving early enough at your destination, and using technology to save you time and money when looking for a home from tens of apartments, as well as taking tours in the most affordable and appropriate apartments you found will hopefully help you find the most suitable home.

How to Control Spending Money

by Abdulaziz Malek

Studying abroad is one of the most difficult challenges in a student’s life. Because most of the time the students travel abroad without their families, so they have to know how to control themselves in spending money. Although it might be hard to control the way you spend money however there are some steps to follow to avoid wasting your money. I will give myself as an example to make it easier.

First of all, I have to know how much I get every month or week so I can decide what level of comfort I can get for myself. I am a sponsored student, and I get monthly stipend of $2600. This is enough to cover more than I need. In other words, it is not that good because if I have extra money, I will spend it in a careless way. So there has to be a way to avoid this issue.

Second, I have to save ep some money from my stipend I get. Saving money is very important because no one knows what will happen in the future. Maybe you had an emergency case and you are supposed to have extra money. For instance, if I get sick, I need to buy medicine, so saving money will help me to avoid running out. I save $500 of each monthly stipend I get. So I saved for my future. My stipend now is $2100, which is less than before. This is the best solution of spending money in a careless way because of having extra money.

After that, choosing the perfect place to live is important. Since I get a decent stipend, I can live in a comfortable apartment close to the university. I pay $830 in rent for a nice apartment close to the university. As you can see from this example, you have to know what kind of apartment you can afford.

Finally, I keep the rest of the money for food and my living requirements. Usually the first stipend I get in the semester is hard to save and spend, because I have to buy my textbook to study. I have to be patient in the first month of the semester. In the other stipends I get, I have to put a limit on spending money for food. I eat eat from restaurants a lot, and most of the restaurants’’ meals cost about $10. I usually eat lunch and dinner from restaurant, which costs $20 every day. On the other hand, I eat breakfast in my house, and I buy the food from HEB, which is a store to buy food and cooking stuffs, and it costs me every week $15 to buy the food for breakfasts. Now you should know if you eat too much or you eat less than others, and put limit on your spending for food.

In conclusion, these steps will help you control your spending of money. It will help you not be worried about money and pay attention to studying.