By Student Ambassador Yunfei
Dauntingly gazing at a blank sheet of paper, I knew I had to face the barrier of writing essays. Studying in the U.S makes me aware of the difference between writing in Chinese and English. Because I was so used to writing essays based on a template, I had a hard time finding my voice. However, it is obviously in stark contrast with the American way, where critical thinking skills are the key component of writing. The disparity fills me with a sense of disappointment. Yet, my ambition of catching up with fellow students and becoming an effective writer kept pushing me forward. I decided to face the challenge to share my academic journey with you by writing this blog. To improve my writing skills, I have used a useful website called Khan Academy where I can learn how native speakers use the language flexibly. I desperately absorb as much information as possible and cram it into my brain to catch up with the fellow students in my class. I struggled during the process. But through multiple sessions of edits and re-edits, I can express my ideas more concisely and clearly in writing; I have developed analytical skills and no longer feel that “filling a paper” is a daunting process. I feel energized when I can efficiently share my voice with readers and discover the joy of writing. I then have come to realize the importance of competent writing skills, not only for academics, but this skill can also be applied to many different fields. During this learning process, I would like to specially honor my professors (Prof. Yaping Li, Prof. Robert Baden, and Prof. Rudy Ramirez) at the College of San Mateo. They helped sharpen my academic skills and have encouraged me to be a better version of myself. Furthermore, another part of my success is credited to a team of amazing academic counselors from CSM including Lydia Chen, Mary Valenti and many other counselors. I also want to thank the CSM/UC Berkeley Scholar program counselor, Johnny Leon. They all helped me with preparing for the transfer process from start to finish and diligently assisting me with the tedious application forms for four-year universities. Because of them, the whole transfer process was a lot smoother and much more efficient. I also want to pat myself on the back--my efforts were paid off. In spring 2020, I got accepted to UC Berkeley and UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara, which are the most well-known and prestigious universities in the U.S. I am proud to say that these achievements is evident that I didn't give up! I continued to track my process step by step. It also reminds me of this expression, "There is no elevator to success--I must take the stairs" . Lastly, it has been more than two years since I have started my journey in the U.S. as a college student. Thinking back on these years, I can still vividly remember every part of it, the excitement and challenges I have had since the day I went abroad and set my feet on the path of independent life. I am ready for a new chapter in my life. Thank you College of San Mateo for the wonderful memories of the first two and half years of my journey in the U.S.
1 Comment
Dilek
5/13/2020 04:37:23 pm
So well written, Yunfei! loved it! Good luck on the rest of your journey...
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