Mominul Hoque

What do you like most about CMU?

That's a tough question! An easier question to answer would be "what do you do not like about CMU" because I love everything! The thing I like most about CMU, aside from the excellent academic program, is the campus. I love to study by the huge windows in the library that is just beside Fabiano Garden view. I especially like taking walks in the fall since the campus is filled with trees and plants. Here at Central, every single staff and faculty memeber is so friendly and down to earth that they would stand by you whenever you need them. CMU has around 225,000+ alumni around the world and soon I will be one of them! I will definitely miss this little city Mount Pleasant and I will have that Chippewa spirit in my heart forever!

Going to different social events was a great help. Talking to international students who had gone through the same thing was also a great help. I got to meet lots of friends through different RSOs on-campus and International Student Organization (ISO) was one of them, where I later volunteered as vice president. I must also mention some the resources on campus I use as a day to day manner, such as the Student Activity Center (SAC), The Writing Center, my own research room in the library, The Leadership Institute (LeaderShape), and Documents on Demand (DOD).

I'm a very social person, so I can't live without my friends! Let me share a quick story: when I was in 3rd grade for some reason my papa asked me to write the names of my close friends. You know what I did? I gave him back the whole notebook with more than 200 names! It was literally the whole class! Back home, I miss my family gatherings, hanging out with friends, the smell of fresh food cooked by the best chef in the world (my mom), eating super spicy street foods with my friends, the great green view with a slightly foggy sky, touching the clouds at 2300 feet above sea level, the world's longest sea beach of the world (Cox's Bazar), and much more! I miss my home!

The best way of overcoming culture shock is to adapt to the new culture and to understand the history and reasons why these cultural differences exist. Look at it as a learning experience to gain a new perspective and to develop a better understanding of that other culture. You just might see things in a whole new way and find it easier to adjust and deal with these differences. It’s these differences that make travel so interesting. I would highly recommend everyone to be involved in students organizations other than maintaining high academic performance. Do not hesitate to seek all the resources made available by CMU. The years fly by very fast in this beautiful campus of CMU. Enjoy every single day of it!