My name is Pranathi Shankar and I am from Bangalore, India. I first came to the U.S. during my junior year of high school, where I attended a high school in Franklin, Tennessee, for two years. When it was time for me to apply to college, I picked MTSU because it had a great psychology program and during my college visit here, I was really impressed by the campus environment. They also had a Scholar’s Academy Program, that was held two weeks before the classes started, and joining that program was just one of the many great memories I have about my experience here.

The people here, be it professors, or advisors, or any other faculty, try to do their best to help you with a problem, and not just expect you to deal with it. Even when they do not know the answers, they provide you with resources about who could help you out in the best way. They provide so many opportunities for us here to improve in academic and social aspects and have a good college experience, not just making sure people graduate. One such instance that really stands out to me is during my first semester before the classes, the International Office, provided me with a contact on campus who was from India so that I would have at least one friendly face when I’m on campus and not be overwhelmed by the new experiences that I would go through.

Even though I had been here for two years, starting out as an international student was stressful for me because I had no idea what to expect. Be that as it may, my first semester here was so stress-free that it gave me the confidence to handle what was ahead of me. The abundant resources on campus to help us was one of the main things that gave me that confidence. Resources like the University Writing Center are so helpful especially for someone who didn’t learn American English growing up.

There are nearly 300+ student organizations here that are of great help to meet new people and pursue your interests and hobbies. Those organizations hold activities year-round that give you a much-needed break from academic stress. I myself am a part of the Indian Cultural Exchange, Scholar’s Academy, and the School Psychology Organization.

I am so delighted that I chose this college because I think I would’ve missed out on meeting some great people if I hadn’t. I still have three more semesters to graduate and I can’t wait to see what great memories they hold for me.

Contributing writer, Pranathi Shankar, is a psychology major. She is part of the International Student Ambassador program that was launched in the Fall of 2020 by the Office of International Affairs. Ambassadors mentor incoming international students to help them adjust to the United States and give advice about getting involved on campus and how to be successful at MTSU.