September 2025

Dear International Students,

Welcome and welcome back to campus Terriers! Boston is buzzing with back-to-school energy as we dive into an exciting new fall semester. Let’s make every moment count!

In the Announcements section, stay up to date on all the exciting happenings across campus!

The Howard Thurman Center is hosting cultural community receptions, while Student Wellbeing launches Global Grads Connect, a peer mentorship program for international graduate students. Don’t miss the undergrad and grad resource fairs, plus the Study Abroad Fall Fair at Marsh Plaza.

In Student Experiences, follow Jin Fang Teon (QST ’26) as she shares her journey navigating life as an international student, finding community, balancing priorities, and making the most of everything BU has to offer.

And in Culture Corner, we explore the joys and challenges of living with roommates, from embracing cultural differences to building strong friendships and navigating shared spaces.

Here’s to a September filled with inspiration, exploration, and new experiences!

If you have any feedback for future newsletters, please contact Sheila Hernandez at sheilahz@bu.edu.

Announcements

Upcoming Events

Thanksgiving Meal for BU Students

Day: Thursday Nov 27th Time: 11:00am - 8:00pm Marciano Commons
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Student Experiences

A Word from Students

A Word from Students: Jin Fang Teon (QST’26), shares her insights on life as an international student at BU and what you need to succeed.

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Culture Corner

Co-Living: Navigating Challenges and Establishing Common Ground

Written by Myat Thadar, International Student Programming Assistant, published in September 2023. Edited by Ahaan Vaknalli in September 2025.

From Rachel and Monica’s bickering in Friends to Troy and Abed’s antics in Community, your college roommates are forever going to be a story worth telling. But, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your roommate sagas are highlights, not horror stories. Today, we will explore strategies to navigate living with roommates so you can have your best foot forward this upcoming academic year!

Set Expectations from the Beginning

Have an honest conversation about your expectations and boundaries soon after you move in. These expectations and boundaries can range from quiet times, general cleanliness of the shared space, shoes within the room, and guest policy. This proactive approach can prevent potential conflicts and create a compatible living environment. Boston University has a roommate contract, and rather than simply skimming over it, make time to sit down and truly establish expectations. Remember, compromise is essential in shared spaces.

Celebrate Differences and Learn from Each Other

Your roommate can introduce you to new cuisines, music, and customs. Take advantage of this opportunity to broaden your horizons. Share meals from each other’s cultures, attend cultural events together, and celebrate holidays and festivals from around the world. These shared experiences can lead to lasting friendships.

Find Similarities

Discover and establish common ground! You’ll be surprised to find that there are often more similarities than you might initially think. Whether it’s a shared love for a particular sport, music genre, or favourite movie, these common interests can serve as bridges between cultures. Spend time exploring these shared passions together, and you’ll strengthen your connection.

Respect Privacy and Personal Space

Living with roommates means you’ll be spending a lot of time together! To ensure you respect each other’s privacy and personal space, create boundaries and schedules that accommodate everyone’s needs. Little actions such as making sure to ask to borrow personal items and respecting each space go a long way.

Seek Support When Needed

Unfortunately, in rare cases, conflicts can get out of hand. Communicating with the Resident Office on campus can provide guidance and mediation to resolve issues.

We wish you luck on your roommate adventure this year!

ISSO Insights

We are delighted to welcome you back to campus for the fall semester! The ISSO remains your trusted resource for guidance and support on campus as you navigate the complexities of the U.S. immigration landscape and your own legal status while you are here at Boston University. Whether you have questions about maintaining your visa status, work authorization etc. our knowledgeable team is here to help.

As we begin the new semester, make sure you check out the ISSO Immigration Workshop schedule including sessions focused on F-1 and J-1 employment authorization options, a collaboration series with Center for Career Development and expert sessions with a local immigration attorney to learn about visa options for your professional era. Most workshops are virtual and pre-registration is required.

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