When it comes to Chinese students considering studying in foreign countries, many of them usually believe that life will be easy and enjoyable. Unfortunately, it’s likely that students with those beliefs will be disappointed very soon after landing at the airport. So, what are the problems you may have, and how can you deal with them?

Teaching and learning styles in America are very different from those in China, requiring more critical(批判的)thinking and cooperation. In a normal American classroom, one project might be done by a study group in which every person has their own responsibility.

Besides coursework, another important problem faced by overseas students is homesickness or loneliness. You may miss your parents’ cooking, your pets, or even your old bed. Being away from home can create bitter feelings, especially when face with the challenges of getting used to an unfamiliar environment.

What I strongly recommend is to try hard to deal with these feelings. Be open to new friendships, although they can’t replace the family and friends you miss from home. Sign up for campus societies, and try to enjoy life on campus, even if you miss home a lot. Be organized and keep a diary to check your progress. Write down three new things that you’re grateful for every evening, as well as three things you’re looking forward to every morning.

Studying abroad is never simple. In fact, there will be many obstacles daily. But hopefully, students who are studying abroad, or who are planning to, will overcome their difficulties and make their time overseas a success.

Coursework, quizzes, and activities can all get you, a high school student, too stressful sometimes. 【小题1】 If you’re worried about your exams, try and turn a negative into a positive and follow these steps:

i. Find out why you’re worried about your results.

Think you’re not prepared? Don’t know how you’re going to learn everything in time? Or do you just get nervous in test conditions? 【小题2】 It’s important to figure out what exactly is making you have negative thoughts; you can start doing something about it.

ii. See the improvements to ease your worries.

Are you already doing hours of revision and are still worried? Maybe you’re not seeing the results of your revision. 【小题3】 Make a list of all the topics you need to revise and tick them off when you’ve learnt them, turning that “I know nothing” feeling into an “I am ready” feeling.

iii. 【小题4】

While it’s great to realise that all people are having a hard time with revision, it’s important you don’t get used to thinking negatively about your results. Positive thinking has been shown to build up confidence and reduce anxiety. So even if you’re talking about your fear for the results, make sure you’re imagining yourself passing with success.

iv. Study now!

【小题5】 If you hate some of your topics then those topics might be causing you stress-revise those until you’re more comfortable and your revision will be better.

From the very beginning of life, even before the birth of a child, parents start making plans as to what their child will become in the future. They start the research for good schools as they consider that schools are the only learning centers. But is this the truth? Which is more important for learning, school or home? This problem needs a balanced approach.

A child spends about seven hours in a school daily. This time is important as he learns friendship, communications with others, team spirit and a sense of sharing. As far as knowledge is concerned, a child learns more than enough of it in school. But is that the guarantee of his learning? Today in a class there are nearly about 40-50 students. The classrooms are increasingly becoming impersonal so that it is very difficult for a teacher to give personal attention to each and every student. The intelligent students remain in the good books of the teachers while weak students are generally disregarded so they become the prey of bad companies. Schools and teachers are so troubled by the pressure of syllabus (教学大纲) that they are not able to do any remedial teaching.

Moreover, nowadays schools teach very less good moral values in their students. They are more concerned with academic studies, results, competitions rather than ethics.

So now here lies the duty of parents. It is the parents’ responsibility to actually show children where they are right and where and why they are wrong. If they have difficulties, parents have to solve them. If they have to finish a lesson left incomplete at school, parents should make them do it. Parents are responsible for the overall development of a child.