My name is Xuefei and I am an international transfer student who is currently studying at the University of Colorado Boulder. I spent a year and a half at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York prior to applying to become a Buff. My major is Computer Science. To give you a bit of insight as to how you might find your fit on campus, I want to tell you a bit about my path to Boulder and my experiences here as a student.
Why I chose CU Boulder. I knew I wanted to attend a school in the United States because of this country’s reputation for high-quality education and that’s one of the reasons I chose to come here. I also love the freedom here! You can express your opinions and thoughts completely freely. I also think it’s important and interesting to learn about a culture that is different from your own.
The application process. Because I was already studying at an American community college, I needed to submit both my secondary and college transcripts. However, it’s important to remember that if you apply to CU Boulder as a freshman, then you will still need to submit your TOFEL and IELTS scores, along with at least one letter of recommendation.
Personal life. It’s not difficult to make friends if you take the first step to connect with people! You will never feel lonely if you have real friends around you. It takes courage to talk to strangers when English is not your first language, but I like to see language as another tool for communication instead of a barrier. It’s okay if you have an accent! Just keep practicing, and your skills will improve. Having a roommate is a great way to make friends, too! My roommate and I both love animals. I have a 3 year old cat named meatball and she has a German Shepherd. We have found that our pets help us through periods of intense studying!
Food. There is a variety of different kinds of food offered at the University Memorial Center (UMC) and the Center 4 Community (C4C) on campus. Personally, I tend to eat in the UMC because it is closer to the Norlin Library, where I spend much of my time studying. There are all sorts of different options, from burritos to fried chicken to pizza-- and even a Panda Express! Because of my childhood in China, I love hotpot and Chinese barbecue. During the weekend, I usually drive to Denver to have hotpot with my friends. It tastes exactly the same as it does at home in China!
Academics. Before I came here, I knew that CU Boulder had an excellent reputation when it comes to research and academics. That’s one of the reasons I chose this university, and I’m glad I did! The courses are harder than those that I took in community college, but I like that I am challenged to learn more material at a faster rate. The city of Boulder is a quiet and nice place to study as well. My favorite place to study is in the library. I often go directly to the Norlin Library after my classes are finished for the day. There are 6 libraries on campus, so it’s very convenient to find one which is close to you!
Work. I have an on-campus job in the International Admissions office! At first, I was worried about how I would do in this position, and how I would balance studying with my work hours-- everyone in the office is so nice and always happy to help, so I quickly realized that I’d enjoy my time at work.
